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Hi To all! Well, here it is after Christmas and I did not gain a pound in fact I lost a pound. Pretty cool. I am still on a giant stall but I am not discouraged. I am going for a fill on Wednesday, which I am looking forward too. I still have my B-ping moments when I do not chew enough but I think that we all have that happen. My body shape feels different which is very cool. I go to the gym only twice a week to work with a trainer and do Cardio. I will be increasing the Cardio portion of my work out to at least three times a week starting next week. I still have yet to buy any new clothes, I guess I am still feeling too fat, LOL. I remember getting chubby and when I was at 170 things were not real bad but when I reached 200 I started feeling fat, so I am looking forward to getting under the 200 mark and geting more of my "really old" shape back! hehehe. One thing I can say that is really great to feel, is that when I weighed 264 I would not go anywhere and I would not want to see anyone and that was just a year ago, now I am looking forward to going somewhere on New Years Eve! Yeah! I am still very shy but at least now I am not embarrassed about my extra girth! One thing really interesting on the note of Size. Yes, I have lost 60 pounds but not very many people have noticed that I have lost weight. It must be the big girl clothes I still wear! It really makes me laugh! I will be getting rid of all the old things and on to new and more fitting garments! Well here's to the next 60 pounds that I am going to loose! 2010 will be a great year! Happy New Year to all! I love my Band! :present::Dancing_wub:

Hi To all! Well, here it is after Christmas and I did not gain a pound in fact I lost a pound. Pretty cool. I am still on a giant stall but I am not discouraged. I am going for a fill on Wednesday, which I am looking forward too. I still have my B-ping moments when I do not chew enough but I think that we all have that happen. My body shape feels different which is very cool. I go to the gym only twice a week to work with a trainer and do Cardio. I will be increasing the Cardio portion of my work out to at least three times a week starting next week. I still have yet to buy any new clothes, I guess I am still feeling too fat, LOL. I remember getting chubby and when I was at 170 things were not real bad but when I reached 200 I started feeling fat, so I am looking forward to getting under the 200 mark and geting more of my "really old" shape back! hehehe. One thing I can say that is really great to feel, is that when I weighed 264 I would not go anywhere and I would not want to see anyone and that was just a year ago, now I am looking forward to going somewhere on New Years Eve! Yeah! I am still very shy but at least now I am not embarrassed about my extra girth! One thing really interesting on the note of Size. Yes, I have lost 60 pounds but not very many people have noticed that I have lost weight. It must be the big girl clothes I still wear! It really makes me laugh! I will be getting rid of all the old things and on to new and more fitting garments! Well here's to the next 60 pounds that I am going to loose! 2010 will be a great year! Happy New Year to all! I love my Band! :thumbdown::drool:

Good Morning everyone. Once again I've been MIA because I've been trying to get everything done before my little trip and get set up for Christmas. I've been doing Christmas cards after work and I can't do that and read posts for some reason...I'd end up responding to a post on a Christmas card and who ever got it would really think I've lost my marbles. Apples, when we go to Florida...I'll bring some tamales. I threw the extra ones in the freezer so they'll ready to go. They are NOT low fat food, but one isn't going to kill you. These are vegetarian tamales, no lard. Made with butter and vegetable stock. Your baking is amazing...I can't even imagine making that much stuff because I don't have anyone around to eat it. Janet, I still love reading your posts....you still are an inspiration and thank you. It's helping me get back on track. Julie, I'm so glad to read you are sleeping better. You sound so much more positive and happy. A good nights sleep is a great mood elevator. I've noticed that myself. So you don't want to work at a day care do you? I think (as my sister says) it's great to be a grandma because you can love the little ones, then hand them back. All the previous posts on steel cut oatmeal got me inspired to make some....just took it off the stove. I'll have a late breakfast before heading off to Phoenix to catch the plane....yum...I add dried fruit and cinnamon to mine too. Sometimes I'll eat is as a savory dish, a little salt and pepper on it. Lori, I'm thinking of you during your surgery. I know everything will go well, you have a great attitude and that is a great part of the healing process. Laura, I'm so sorry you have to go through this with your parents. I understand the sadness is overwhelming and your concern for your Mom is difficult. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Hi Joann....glad to see you back. Sounds like you've been very busy. Congrats on your 1 year bandiversary. Both of my sisters are quilters too. It's an amazing skill and art. Both sisters have long arm quilting machines too...one has a giant Gammel and the other has a much smaller Jewel. Of course, I benefit from their art....no complaints there. Meredith, your picts are amazing. You look fabulous. Good luck with your end of semester and the house. Yipee, home ownership soon I hope!! Laura K....glad to see you here again. Your carmel corn recipe looks good, might have to try that some day. Linda, you are so upbeat and positive. How's the hip doing? 1 day....sorry about the really long shifts...I understand about being busy. I'm not sure we have anything planned for Florida beyond the rooms. I believe there are tons of things to do and with as many of us as there are, I'm sure we will be doing something and/or you'll find one of us willing to do what you want to do. When I visited Janet, I found just sitting around talking worked too....we really had a lot to share. Jewel, once again, sorry about the issues with your family. They are tough. The band will not make you lose weight. Only you can do that. I'm speaking from a little bit of experience here. I was banded in July and am totally stalled out right now because of MY poor food choices....not failure of the band. The band is working, but it doesn't stop me putting crap into my mouth. If you want this "system" to work you will have to make it work. Absolutly follow your doctor's advise. I was on liquids for three weeks after banding and a very strict diet three weeks before banding. It really helped shrink my stomach, settle my blood sugar levels and helped immensely with the hunger issues after banding. It was worth every minute of it. Arlene, I tried polent a couple of times and didn't like it, but now I really like it. It's yellow corn meal...don't know the difference between cornmeal and masa, but it may be the proecessing. I've made polenta, let it firm up, cut it in squares and saute it (basically to warm it) and put a poached egg on top with a little pesto. Yum. Okay, all the chores are done...it's taken me 4 hours to write this post. I just need to get dressed and head out. I'm going to San Francisco to meet my DH who is at a geophysics conference there. For me, it's any excuse to travel. I have someone coming in to watch the animals and I think all is set. I have to drive to Phoenix to catch the plane, it's saving me over $100 even with the gas to drive there and parking. I was supposed to be wrapping presents this morning, but I'd rather catch up with all of you. I miss being here. So I'll be gone again for a while, but hopefully will be able to be more regular after Christmas. I don't have any big plans after Christmas dinner. Have a good weekend.....(maybe I'll be able to use DH's computer and check in while I'm gone...ooohhhh, hummmm....what an idea!) Eva

Judy, I didn't even weigh myself for the first 9 days (the surgeon made me promise not to get on the scale for two weeks, but I couldn't do it), so not sure when I lost in my first 2 weeks, could have all been the first week?? I do know that at two weeks out I had a stall that lasted 13 days. It started in my second week, instead of third like a lot of people, but lucky me lasted through my third week so I could feel "normal" like everyone else:-) I'm just trying to say, that you might be in the middle of your "week three" stall that most seem to go through. Many people have theorized that the stall is caused by starting the mushy/soft food stage and it seems you are in that eating phase now. BUT as long as you're following the plan, the weight will come off. Good luck and vent away, that's how many of us get through them.

Judy, it is okay, you are doing fabulous. If you read back through the threads, you will see that just about everyone reaches a stall around week three or so. It seems like that is the time our body suddenly goes "whoa, what the heck is going on here?" and realizes there is a lot of major changes going on and suddenly puts a halt to everything while it adjusts to all of the changes it has been put through. Be patient, the weight will start coming off again in very soon. In the mean time, make sure you are taking your measurements as well. Even though the scale may not be showing anything, it is very well possible that you are losing inches.

I was sleeved Dec. 1st. Exactly like you first week I lost 11 lbs. I'm in the first day of my second week, and I seemed to have stalled already. I did so a little cheating, I ate some refried Beans the 4th day, mashed potatoes the 5 day, and a few crackers the 6th day. I haven't been drinking that much water, but I have had some sugar free juices, and lite juices. I'm afraid the lite juices my have too much sugar in them. I've only walked 3 days out of 7 outside, but I did walk over a mile all three times. And rain kept me from walking the other 2 days. I took it easy the first 2 days. Dunno what the deal is..maybe cheating did it for me. But don't sound like you did at all. I wish I knew. Maybe some of our sisters will tell us what we are doing wrong. Judy:001_huh:

MNB, 18 pounds in one month is absolutely amazing. Why on earth would you be disappointed? If I have said this once, I have said it one-hundred times, do not judge your weight loss success based on what others have done. Everyone loses at different rates. Everyone's body reacts differently to the surgery. Just because one person may have lost twenty pounds in the first month, does not mean the next person should or they have failed. Additionally, it is not unusual have a stall around three weeks. This usually takes place during the transition to the next stage of foods. Your body is confused right now. It has undergone some pretty major things in the past three weeks. You are going to see some fluctuations in your weight loss. Give your body time to adjust. Lastly, I know other than walking, my doctor said no strenuous exercise until I was six weeks out. At three weeks out, I was so weak physically due to the post-op diet, there was no way I could have withstood any type of workout regimen at that time. I got tired walking from the couch to the bedroom. I didn't have enough energy to really start exercising until I had been on full foods for about a week. So please, do not be hard on yourself. You are doing fabulous and as expected!

It's OVER!!!!! My stall has left...I hope. I got on the scale this morning and I have starting losing again. Only 3lbs but we all need to lose one at a time, right? I am so happy three weeks with no lose was really tough, however I see that I have come out of it successfully and look forward to moving on down the scale! And will battle the next stall just as hard! Thanks again for all of your support!

RubyT- so you want details, huh? When I look back on it, I really haven't had a lot of struggles. That's really true! My advice is to not just get so bogged down on this week, especially if you haven't lost what you'd like. I still get mad when I hit a stall but I increase my exercise or zig-zag my calorie intake for the week. I tend to end similiar things every day. I was always that way though, so I need to mix it up. Unlike Chancie, I do get hungry. What is nice though is that the hunger pains are not as acute as before and I know I can go for a couple more hours if need be and just drink something. Sometimes we just get stuck -- like traveling and we just can't eat on schedule. I do feel hunger but I can go longer without food. No, I don't get full as fast as those early days. Now I can eat one egg and even a piece of toast. I can eat about half a sandwich -- not those overstuffed sandwiches in restuarants -- but one you'd make at home. I typically will eat a few bites with the bread and then the bread makes me feel full too fast, so I just eat the stuff in the middle. Pasta also makes me feel very full and I can't and don't eat it very much. Some people don't feel this way, so you will just have to listen to your own body. Eating out is nice though, as there are always leftovers and sometimes I can get 4 meals out of one! I love that. I don't miss eating a lot of food, but I do miss being able to try different foods. For instance at Thanksgiving, if I want to try to eat more than three types of food, I literally will have to take a teaspoon of each and no more. I still have a hard time at potlucks in taking too much. It's hard to take a tiny portion sometimes. At one point or another you will eat a bite or two too much and you learn the hard way not to do that again if you can. For me I have to go lie down and moan and groan for 30 minutes to an hour. The benefits are so great now....just moving about is so much easier, liking to exercise, wearing regular clothes and looking so much better in them. Seeing yourself differently, noticing the difference in how others see you and treat you...one of the things I love best is having a lap!!! I love a lap! Or sitting comfortably in any booth or chair. Although I am still not done, I have 13 lbs more to goal, and yet 13 lbs doesn't seem like much, at this point my weight loss has slowed down, and 13 lbs seems like a lot now! If you have other questions, or if anyone else reading this does, just ask. I'm not online everyday, so if you do ask me and I don't get right back to you, I am not being rude. Perhaps sending a private message may be the easiest instead of trying to find a thread again. Great success to you! Enjoy the journey!

10 month veteran here. I think the three week stall, or in your case the four week stall is typical. I bet you are probably where you need to be in your weight loss. Not that I haven't yelled at my scale myslef. I still do. But don't get stuck on thinking things will not get better. They will. Now when I see people eat so much....as I used to...it amazes me. Recently I was at a buffet (but didn't get the buffet)...and thought how can someone eat two plates of food? Of course I used to go for seconds too....this will change for you too. Only eating a bit will be satisfying. I like that...I like that a lot! It sounds so easy to say give it time, but really you WILL lose weight. I'm down more than 100 lbs. You've done a good thing here, you won't be fat forever, but it will take time. The benefits are so much better than being able to eat all the food we want. I've said this before and will continue to......this journey is a great one, and one to be enjoyed. True, it's still early for you and I do remember it not being so much fun either. But after six or eight weeks it gets sooooooo much better. Believe me!

Hi there. I'm an old veteran -- 10 months out. But from what I remember, the three week stall is typical and I was down about it until I saw my surgeon for a follow up visit. He said I was right where I needed to be. He stated when the body loses so much at first, and a lot of fluids, the body is retaining for a bit and trying to even itself out so to speak. Once it figures things out, you'll start losing again. Although not a good idea to eat cake right now. Be strick about sticking to the program in the first few months, ok?

I'm 10 months out and down 101 lbs. Just to add my two cents here, my recovery was no problem at all. My body hates anesthesia so much, but other than that no complications at all. The first month is drag for sure, and on my plan I was able to eat a scrambled egg, or rather three bites of it, on day 14. You don't feel good at first, but hey, it's only for a short time. Just follow the program they give you and listen to your body. Now, I love going out because I don't really cook, and one meal can last up to 4 meals for me! How great is that? There are stalls along the way, but I think most of the time the body is trying to figure out what is happening. Expect a stall at week three or so, when you first lose a lot of fluids, and then your body retains for a week or so. Lately I have upped my exercise to get through stalls. I rarely exercised before surgery and now you can't mess with my exercise time. I almost have to or I don't feel right. There are so much better things about life now. Just moving around is so much better. This morning I took a bath and rose of the bath so smoothly, I felt so light. It was great! Going into a store and getting "regular" clothes and the cute styles and clothes actually looking good on me. I flew twice in the past few months and what a difference! No one was dreading to sit next to me this time. And how I see myself, how others treat you is even different, even though that is not right in the perfect world, it is reality. I could go on and on, but I think you get the drift. This is a great journey, for all of us to enjoy along the way! As far a pre-op diet, my surgeon just asked me to be below 1000 calories a day so that I would not have a fatty liver for surgery. Great success to you!

Hi Lauren and WELCOME!!! First off....... Congrats to you for doing your 'homework"!! Ask lots and lots of questions!! Do your research! This is major surgery, and knowledge is your best tool! Ok.. ansers to your questions, and I'm 9 months out... 1. Did you find it hard to eat slower and chew more when you go to solid foods? I worry I won't be able to slow myself down Yes.... I was a FAST eater, and didn't chew my food well. For someone who is overweight, i think this is a common thing with us. But, yes, you can slow down because if you eat too fast, you hurt, and some of us vomit ( me ) it's unpleasant, so you quickly learn how to eat right. 2. for people who have had their sleeve for over a year or so, is daily life harder? how is it to go out? Life is actually better than in the beginning. You know your body better and you know to listen to it. When I go to a restraunt I "behave" better, eat slower, chew my food better because I don't want to embarrase myself by running to the bathroom and getting sick. So actually eating out is better for me. At home I tend to forget, and then I have troubles. 3. has anyone stalled, and what have you done about it? I am 9 months out, was VERY obese, and the last 6 weeks has been my first Stall. I'm working on it by being more active, watching what I eat closer, and being that I'm 9 months out I can eat more. But I have gotten away from eating my Protein like I should so I'm working on that and lost 2 pounds this week!! ) 4. was recovery difficult, and how soon did you return to work? Recovery was difficult for me. I spent a FULL 5 days in the hospital because I was vomiting so badly. It subsided when I got home but the first three months I was sick with vomiting or slimes or dry heaves... was not pleasant!! I was on a LOA for Knee replacement surgery, so I had no time adjusting when I went back to work. Now for the other questions.... I had my surgery right after I turned 50. I have what my best friend calls "Good Skin"- Isn't that "thin" skin..... if ya know what I'm talking about... But..... I was so badly overweight, my Highest being 373 I think....... and when I went into surgery I was 354. I dropped most of my weight by 6 months. I lost a total of 148 pounds to date. I lost muscle because of the fast weight loss and I was bad about exercising ( because I was sooo big ) But I exercise almost daily now. And it has improved some. Your questions and concerns are legit- and you need to write down questions as you think of them and ask when your doctor/surgen or forums like this to help you. I did LOTS of research prior to my surgery. This is a TOOL....... you have to learn how to work it. It's not a miricle cure. good luck to you and your decision, feel free to ask anything thats on your mind! g'luck to you~~:thumbup:

What? Me? Really? Yes! It’s true—I’m back with a blog update. I’d love to give you some grand reason for my disappearing act, but the truth is just that life has just gone on. Being banded was a huge life altering experience and for many months it affected everything. In a way, it defined me, just as being fat has defined me for the past 20 or so years of my life. Being banded affected my daily routine—what I ate, how I moved, work, the gym, doctors appointments. And then slowly, it affected me less. Life went back to normal. I stopped feeling sore, I went back to the gym, I started being able to wrestle those big dogs I work with again, and I stopped agonizing over every morsel I put in my mouth. My band became a part of who I am and stopped being everything I am about. And as life went on without me having to stop and contemplate my band every other minute, I stopped having new and exciting things to say about it. That’s not to say that everything has gone back to the way it used to be, although my life is not yet as completely altered as many of my pre-band fantasies projected it to be. A lot has happened in my life both related and unrelated to my weight-loss journey. I believe last I left you guys, I was plagued with a big pain from a little kidney stone. Who knew something smaller than a pencil eraser could cause so much trouble? Well, in case you were wondering, the kidney stone did not pass on its own. After my trip to the hospital and the very happy drugs they pumped me with, my pain was gone. I followed up with an urologist anyhow and it was a good thing since he informed me that being pain free did not mean being urolith (big, fancy, medical word for a kidney stone) free. And low and behold, the night after my appointment, I had another bout of excruciating pain. The pain came and went for the rest of the week until my follow-up appointment at which point my doctor and I decided to schedule lithotripsy—a non-invasive surgical procedure used to break up kidney stones using shockwaves that pass through the body wall. Unfortunately the first available appointment for the procedure was not for another 2 1/2 weeks. The pain was sporadic in the mean time, and while I had some hefty pain meds, I was unable to use them at times—ie when at work. So, I used Ibuprofen instead—after all the PA at my docs office said it was okay given my situation as long as I took certain precautions. Well, I don’t think I took enough precautions, or I just took too much Ibuprofen because after a few days my stomach got all funky and I was sick for a good 2-3 days. I stopped the Motrin of course, and got better. Finally I went for my scheduled procedure and they took an x-ray to locate the stone, then hooked me up to an IV and knocked me out. I woke up shortly after and everything went smoothly. Of course the lithotripsy only broke the stone up to smaller pieces and didn’t get rid of it, so for another week and a half I waited for the stone to pass—with even more pain than before, as well as several bouts of nausea. At last, my stone was gone, and with it, the pain. In addition, I felt energetic and just plain good for the first time since it happened. I turned the stone in for analysis and did some extra urine tests and next week I return to my doc for the results as well as a discussion on nutrition to help prevent further stones. I’m a little worried about how that will go and how his nutrition advice will work with my band. Obviously drinking plenty of water is paramount for both my situations, but I have a feeling he’s going to tell me to cut back on my protein which will not bode will with band eating. He says he’s seen many bandsters getting kidney stones 3-4 months after surgery and on the one hand, that probably means he knows our nutrition restrictions, but on the other hand, it probably means the diet change helped in the formation of the stone. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see. Despite the passing of my kidney stone, I am—sadly—not yet a paragon of health. I’ve been having some trouble with my shoulder. At first I just suspected a pulled muscle or something, but given my kidney stone-ibuprofen snafu, could not treat it properly with anti-inflammatory meds like Mortrin. I finally sucked it up and got myself to the orthopod who examined me and took an x-ray. He said the x-ray looked pretty good, but he did see a small bone spur which probably caused some bursitis. Normally he would have just had me treat it with NSAIDS (if it was that easy, I wouldn’t have needed him) but instead he gave me a cortisone shot. Sadly, it didn’t work. He also gave me a prescription for physical therapy if it didn’t work. I think I’ll probably have to use it, but I’m going to try my sister’s acupuncturist first (I saw him once before and he actually predicted my kidney stone by feeling my pulse—well not a kidney stone exactly, but he told me the “kidney” part of my pulse was weak—how crazy is that?) Of course, I think I’m starting to sound like an 80 year old, going on and on about my health problems. I’ve been sicker since getting my band than I was before—how did that happen? In other—non-medical—news, in the end of August, I finally moved into my new place. Having my own refrigerator to stock with all my own food has been helpful. I pretty much live off rotisserie chicken. I’ll have a quarter of a store bought chicken, no skin and I’ll pair it with some fruit, or carrot sticks, or tonight, a small baked potato. Yum, yum. My lunches vary, sometimes I’ll have a lean cuisine, or I’ll have a salad from the salad bar down the street. My usual breakfast is either a protein bar, or if I get up early enough, a 100 calorie whole grain English muffin with 1 egg, 1 egg white, and piece of low fat cheese. I do still have snacks. I believe in eating when I’m hungry. I’ll usually go for either a yogurt, or a high protein snack bar—Slim fast makes a yummy caramel nougat one, and South Beach has a chocolate raspberry one I love. Like a bad girl, I have taken to drinking diet soda again, but only 2-3 times a week instead of 5-6 times a day like I used to and of course, plenty of water is still a must. I stalled with my weight-loss for a while, not because I didn’t have restriction, but because I was making bad choices and eating a lot of junk food again. So, I started going to Weight Watchers. The band helps me monitor how much I eat, and WW gives me the tools to help me make better choices. Having to figure out how many points everything is makes you stop and think before eating it. I only have so much room in my new little tummy pouch, and I need to make each bite count. That’s not to say I’ve given up all the good stuff—I still eat the foods I love…pizza, bagels, ice-cream, etc, but not on a regular basis. I really feel like I eat like a “normal” person now. I can eat a slice of pizza, without eating 3. I can have a turkey burger and leave half for the next meal. Anytime I order out, my food lasts a good 3 meals instead of finishing the whole thing and wanting more. It’s amazing how normal that is for me now. My loss is picking up again and I still have hopes of making my goal of losing 75# by my sisters wedding which is October 25. I’ve got to lose another 5 lbs and I’ve got 10 days to do it. Holly, this entry is getting long. I have more to say about how I’m feeling about the changes the last 6 months have made to my mind, body and soul, but I’m working on page three of this thing now, so I’m going to cut it here, and save the rest for another entry. Here’s to not letting another 3 months go by before that happens Tootles.

What? Me? Really? Yes! It’s true—I’m back with a blog update. I’d love to give you some grand reason for my disappearing act, but the truth is just that life has just gone on. Being banded was a huge life altering experience and for many months it affected everything. In a way, it defined me, just as being fat has defined me for the past 20 or so years of my life. Being banded affected my daily routine—what I ate, how I moved, work, the gym, doctors appointments. And then slowly, it affected me less. Life went back to normal. I stopped feeling sore, I went back to the gym, I started being able to wrestle those big dogs I work with again, and I stopped agonizing over every morsel I put in my mouth. My band became a part of who I am and stopped being everything I am about. And as life went on without me having to stop and contemplate my band every other minute, I stopped having new and exciting things to say about it. That’s not to say that everything has gone back to the way it used to be, although my life is not yet as completely altered as many of my pre-band fantasies projected it to be. A lot has happened in my life both related and unrelated to my weight-loss journey. I believe last I left you guys, I was plagued with a big pain from a little kidney stone. Who knew something smaller than a pencil eraser could cause so much trouble? Well, in case you were wondering, the kidney stone did not pass on its own. After my trip to the hospital and the very happy drugs they pumped me with, my pain was gone. I followed up with an urologist anyhow and it was a good thing since he informed me that being pain free did not mean being urolith (big, fancy, medical word for a kidney stone) free. And low and behold, the night after my appointment, I had another bout of excruciating pain. The pain came and went for the rest of the week until my follow-up appointment at which point my doctor and I decided to schedule lithotripsy—a non-invasive surgical procedure used to break up kidney stones using shockwaves that pass through the body wall. Unfortunately the first available appointment for the procedure was not for another 2 1/2 weeks. The pain was sporadic in the mean time, and while I had some hefty pain meds, I was unable to use them at times—ie when at work. So, I used Ibuprofen instead—after all the PA at my docs office said it was okay given my situation as long as I took certain precautions. Well, I don’t think I took enough precautions, or I just took too much Ibuprofen because after a few days my stomach got all funky and I was sick for a good 2-3 days. I stopped the Motrin of course, and got better. Finally I went for my scheduled procedure and they took an x-ray to locate the stone, then hooked me up to an IV and knocked me out. I woke up shortly after and everything went smoothly. Of course the lithotripsy only broke the stone up to smaller pieces and didn’t get rid of it, so for another week and a half I waited for the stone to pass—with even more pain than before, as well as several bouts of nausea. At last, my stone was gone, and with it, the pain. In addition, I felt energetic and just plain good for the first time since it happened. I turned the stone in for analysis and did some extra urine tests and next week I return to my doc for the results as well as a discussion on nutrition to help prevent further stones. I’m a little worried about how that will go and how his nutrition advice will work with my band. Obviously drinking plenty of water is paramount for both my situations, but I have a feeling he’s going to tell me to cut back on my protein which will not bode will with band eating. He says he’s seen many bandsters getting kidney stones 3-4 months after surgery and on the one hand, that probably means he knows our nutrition restrictions, but on the other hand, it probably means the diet change helped in the formation of the stone. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see. Despite the passing of my kidney stone, I am—sadly—not yet a paragon of health. I’ve been having some trouble with my shoulder. At first I just suspected a pulled muscle or something, but given my kidney stone-ibuprofen snafu, could not treat it properly with anti-inflammatory meds like Mortrin. I finally sucked it up and got myself to the orthopod who examined me and took an x-ray. He said the x-ray looked pretty good, but he did see a small bone spur which probably caused some bursitis. Normally he would have just had me treat it with NSAIDS (if it was that easy, I wouldn’t have needed him) but instead he gave me a cortisone shot. Sadly, it didn’t work. He also gave me a prescription for physical therapy if it didn’t work. I think I’ll probably have to use it, but I’m going to try my sister’s acupuncturist first (I saw him once before and he actually predicted my kidney stone by feeling my pulse—well not a kidney stone exactly, but he told me the “kidney” part of my pulse was weak—how crazy is that?) Of course, I think I’m starting to sound like an 80 year old, going on and on about my health problems. I’ve been sicker since getting my band than I was before—how did that happen? In other—non-medical—news, in the end of August, I finally moved into my new place. Having my own refrigerator to stock with all my own food has been helpful. I pretty much live off rotisserie chicken. I’ll have a quarter of a store bought chicken, no skin and I’ll pair it with some fruit, or carrot sticks, or tonight, a small baked potato. Yum, yum. My lunches vary, sometimes I’ll have a lean cuisine, or I’ll have a salad from the salad bar down the street. My usual breakfast is either a protein bar, or if I get up early enough, a 100 calorie whole grain English muffin with 1 egg, 1 egg white, and piece of low fat cheese. I do still have snacks. I believe in eating when I’m hungry. I’ll usually go for either a yogurt, or a high protein snack bar—Slim fast makes a yummy caramel nougat one, and South Beach has a chocolate raspberry one I love. Like a bad girl, I have taken to drinking diet soda again, but only 2-3 times a week instead of 5-6 times a day like I used to and of course, plenty of water is still a must. I stalled with my weight-loss for a while, not because I didn’t have restriction, but because I was making bad choices and eating a lot of junk food again. So, I started going to Weight Watchers. The band helps me monitor how much I eat, and WW gives me the tools to help me make better choices. Having to figure out how many points everything is makes you stop and think before eating it. I only have so much room in my new little tummy pouch, and I need to make each bite count. That’s not to say I’ve given up all the good stuff—I still eat the foods I love…pizza, bagels, ice-cream, etc, but not on a regular basis. I really feel like I eat like a “normal” person now. I can eat a slice of pizza, without eating 3. I can have a turkey burger and leave half for the next meal. Anytime I order out, my food lasts a good 3 meals instead of finishing the whole thing and wanting more. It’s amazing how normal that is for me now. My loss is picking up again and I still have hopes of making my goal of losing 75# by my sisters wedding which is October 25. I’ve got to lose another 5 lbs and I’ve got 10 days to do it. Holly, this entry is getting long. I have more to say about how I’m feeling about the changes the last 6 months have made to my mind, body and soul, but I’m working on page three of this thing now, so I’m going to cut it here, and save the rest for another entry. Here’s to not letting another 3 months go by before that happens Tootles.

Hi. I'm new to this site, but almost 9 months out from surgery. If I could give any advice, as corny as this sounds, it would be to actually enjoy the journey. I am now 95 lbs down, about 15-18 lbs more to go to goal. I have journaled for years, and as of late it has been all about my weight loss and as I reread my entries, I realized I'd get so frustrated at every slight stall. I freaked out when I hit the three week stall, until my surgeon told me it's so predictable and usual -- that my body was trying to compensate for the all water loss. Of course I got over that stall, just as he said I would and continued to lose weight. Flash forward to when I was at the hump of getting out of the "obesity" category to just the "overweight" category. Of course getting that ONE extra pound off was during a slight stall. There I went journaling again, wondering if I'd ever get to that point, getting so frustrated. Yep, I got out of the obesity category. I met with a friend who had the gastric bypass a few years ago and she said, "I abolutely loved the time when I was losing weight," and I realized I was missing the big picture. I hadn't thought about this being a special time for me. I started to write more about the positives...such as I fit into a 2x now (and then a 1x now, XL now, Large now!)...I now have a lap (I love a lap!)...this is what I've noticed this week. This is what I noticed about how strangers treat me. So this is how it feels to shop for normal clothes! When did I actually starting liking exercise? It's such a remarkable journey that changes our body itself, but also our attitude, our image, how we perceive ourselves, how others perceive us and treat us, etc. etc. The weight loss actually happens quite fast....when else could I lose 95 lbs in 9 months? So, enjoy the journey folks!

Hello! I was sleeved on Sep 16th. I did great the first two weeks, for some reason I am struggling on my third week. I am hungry and craving real food. I am tired of the shakes and cannot have cream soups as I am lactose intolerant. I am tired and do not want o do much. I am back to work and once I get home I am ready for bed. Is this normal? I am trying my best to keep my Protein intake not less than 50 grams per day. I have not lost weight in the last three days. I was weighting my self daily and not sure if I hit a stall. Sorry I need to vent Iliana Sleeved Sept 16th lost 23 lbs Dr Davidson Dallas, Texas PS hot do you add that tracker to your profile?

You are not alone!!! It sounds like you and I are in about the same situation. I was banded on 8/28/09 and lost the first week after surgery during the liquid phase. I started back on soft foods and since then nothing. Not one pound!!! I to am frustrated about the weight lose stalling out, but everyone keeps telling me that it is normal. It has now been just over three weeks from my surgery and I weighed myself this morning. DOWN TWO POUNDS!! I know it's not a lot but at this point; I'll take it. Keep moving forward, don't give up now! You have taken the first step in the process, now it's time to move forward and discover the new person inside you. That is what I keep focusing on. I know where I've come from, I know what I am now, what I don't know is what I will become. I can already see changes, and I like them.

Hi JageK (Jennifer) - I'm getting sleeved Sept. 29th with Dr. Aceves. I have been (pretty) quietly watching this board for all of the different emotions that I see people go through, both pre and post op. Before I saw that you were three weeks out, I thought to myself (from reading the other posts) that if this is your first stall you must be about three weeks out. It seems to be very common, so don't feel like you are a failure - seems to me that you are on the successful track now as many of those very successful sleevesters out here seem to hit that same stall and I am expecting it also mid October:glare:....but I know it will pass and some last longer than others. Good Luck! Trudy :lol0:

Hi Angie, If you are not in pain, I don't think you messed anything up (but I'm not a doctor). You had surgery about 5 days before me and we lost about the same amount of weight in the first two weeks. I stopped losing weight about two and a half weeks out and actually gained a pound and a half, then bounced up and down on the scale with that same pound and a half for almost two weeks. I've read other accounts online where people didn't lose for three or four weeks after a big drop like we had. I decided when it started depressing me, not to weigh myself everyday. I did try on clothes and that was exciting to see that things were loser and others things fit that had not previously. Another thing I did was to try to increase my fluid and protein intake, but really I do not think this is what made the scale move again, I think my body was just ready to let go of a few more pounds. But by focussing on my protein and water (I was not meeting the goals for either by the way) it gave me something else to focus on besides the scale. I also think that down the line water and protein are the key for living healthy. Definitely contact your surgeon's office and/or nutritionist. After my weight stall I've dropped an additional four pounds, but I think my body is gearing up to stall again (been at the same weight for a couple of days). I'll probably stop weighing myself daily again if I weigh the same thing tomorrow. My surgeon said this is absolutely normal last week when I had a follow-up visit and told me to stay off the scale (once a week if I had to). Good luck! Dee Dee P.S. If you haven't already done so, you may want to post to the post-op forum to get more support and ideas.

Today makes a full month since surgery, my weight lost has stalled since I started mushies and food, although I had gained three pounds they are now gone again, so a total of 20lbs from my heavist and 18lbs since the surgery, which is awesome. I am still on soft foods, I have tried eating regular foods in small portions twice and ended up with this scratchy throat feeling and ended up going back to mushies and soft foods. I did have one instance where bread got stuck for almost a day it wasn't a full blockage, because I could still get my protien shake down but boy did I have to burp, so I ended up drinking a soda to get a good one up and it finally moved... but I felt swollen afterwards and went to liquids for a day and felt better. I am back to work, and back to real life running around and working all kinds of hours, My middle daughter had open heart surgery two weeks ago so we have been up with here most of the week and trying to keep up with my protien intake is still a little challenging, I am done with the protien shakes trying to get it through my foods. No port pain but I wake up in the mornings and now know what it means that the band is tight, my throat is also sore, and I am not sure if it is the hiatal hernia repair or what... but intersting I do know that ice Water feels really good first thing in the morning. So far loving the band

Hi everyone, I was banded May 6th of this year and was doing really well until I hit a brick wall three weeks ago. I had my 3rd fill on August 3rd and the doctor and I were hopeful that this would get me in the green zone but it hasn't. After losing two pounds by the end of that week, the last three weeks I've bascially plateaued. I've gained and lost the same 1.5 pounds. I am getting my Protein and Water and exercising almost every day. I've changed up my exercise, varied my calories but never more than 1200 and still haven't been able to break this plateau. The only good thing is that my scale is recording body fat loss even if there has been no weight loss. Since I'm still 50 pounds from goal, this stall three months out is heartbreaking and frustrating. I have made an appointmen for a fill tomorrow. I can still eat about 8oz of food and am hoping that this will help me get beyond this stall. Has anyone else exerpienced a pleateau this soon? I suppose techincally I started dieting last summer but took a two month break before surgery so I really think my diet started in May. Thanks for listening!

Why can't you play volley ball? SOme people do not start loosing till they start eating regular foods, others loose a ton. Some people loose it fast others loose it slowly. All seem to stall for a while. The things I always tell people to check...... (and I need to recommitt to!) 1) are you gettingin all your Protein ? 2) are you drinking enough Water / liquids? 3) is your Fiber enough? (I have to take the special K fiber water.....it has 40 % and that always makes it go better for me) 4) are you getting 20-30 minutes of exercise at least three times a week? remember that stalls are normal and physics says eventually you will start to loose.......less in and more energy out means it will come off....just sometimes very slowly! (and we all hate that!) I wish you the best of luck and try to begin your knew life with the positive attitude, that your family is negative.....try to ignore that and go on and live your life!

Don't worry, it seems to happen to all of us. My stall lasted a little over three weeks. It is frustrating, but things will start moving again soon enough.

How did I let this happen again? I had lost nearly 60 pounds, and slowly but surely, the weight had reappeared. I say that as though it happened without my knowledge or consent. I guess it would be more appropriate to say I put the weight back on. I wear it around like a lead coat. It stifles me, it breaks me, it pains me. Yet, I have done this over and over and over for my whole life. All the fluffy girls reading this know exactly what I am talking about. As a collective, we have probably gained and lost the same 60 pounds a million times. I hate to think it is because I am lazy, or that it is because I have no will power. I know that’s what most people think when they look at me - that woman is a glutton. I suppose there is some truth to it. Although, if they knew how disheartening it is to reach a goal, only to have it taken away . . . wait, there I go again, acting like some invisible power caused this. I know I have to take responsibility. I did this to myself. It didn’t happen to me, I caused it. But could it be that I can’t help it? It may be my fault, but maybe I just need some help to be successful. I tried many different things to “help” but nothing worked in the end. Weight Watchers was great, and I certainly learned a great deal about what foods to eat, and what portion size I should be eating. I remember the first time I learned about the portion size for pasta and rice. I think I laughed out loud. I did lose weight, quickly at first, but I never could get past that 40 pound mark. I had such a long way to go, over 100 pounds, and stalling out at 40 pounds just threw me over the edge. And when I would cheat, I WOULD CHEAT. I think it is a great deal like being an alcoholic. If I had one drink, or in my case, bite, it was all over. Forget about moderation, or “Points” or whatever. Then getting back on the wagon was harder than ever. Again, I know, excuses, excuses. Nevertheless, that was my pattern. I even tried medication for a while. I went to my doctor and begged for help. I remember saying, “I think something must be wrong with me. Even when I am really good, for a really long time, I can’t seem to lose the weight I need to lose!” So she gave me Wellbutrin. It states clearly that it is a medication for depression that should not be taken by people with eating disorders. Well, at 300 pounds, isn’t it fair to say I had an eating disorder? 50 pounds later, gained, not lost, I decided to quit taking Wellburtin. It definitely took the edge off, and helped me realize that I probably have some anxiety issues to work on, but it certainly did not help me lose any weight. In fact, it just made me complacent. The end result, however, was that it did force me to recognize that I have an addiction to food. It forced me to recognize that there was not going to be an easy fix for me. That was a huge disappointment. So, this last bit of temporary weight loss came from a surprising turn of events. I was pregnant, and all of a sudden, food was not my first priority. Taking care of the little being inside me was the most important thing of all. Because I was so large, 355 to start the pregnancy, my doctor was very worried about gestational diabetes. I met with a dietician at the hospital, and I followed her directions to the letter. I cut back on carbs, no more orange juice, lots of fiber, plenty of protein. Well, compared to the fast food junk I had been living on up to that point, it was no surprise that I started to lose weight. All told, I gained 13 pounds through my pregnancy, but lost 35 immediately after my daughter was born. Then, the most difficult thing I have ever had to do in my life occurred. My dear little one came 6 weeks early and was critically ill. She had to stay in the NICU for nearly a month. For the very first time in my life, I did not turn to food for comfort. In fact, I could not stand the thought of eating a thing. Leaving the hospital without your baby is the most unnatural thing in the world. I felt like I was literally being torn apart. I remember, the night I was discharged from the hospital, my husband and I were walking across the parking lot, and I said, “I feel like I am forgetting something.” Then I broke down and bawled. I don’t think I quit crying for the rest of the evening. I had to pump every three hours because I was hoping to breast feed my baby. Since I wasn’t eating, there wasn’t any milk to pump. I didn’t figure this out for about three weeks, and was getting very discouraged. However, I did find it funny that every time I turned around, someone was trying to make me eat. It was the strangest thing! My father especially, who was such a champion for me during that time – driving me back and forth to the hospital – would always try to get me to eat. I just couldn’t do it. In the end I lost an additional 20 pounds, creating an ultimate weight loss of about 55 pounds at that point. Eventually, my beautiful baby did come home. She is the light of my life. Being her mother is what I have been waiting for. I know all mothers probably feel this way, but she is the most lovely creature I have ever seen. She spreads such joy everywhere we go! I feel so blessed to have a baby that can make even total strangers smile with glee. I continued to lose weight. Ava and I walked every day. All the climbing up and down the stairs with baskets of laundry didn’t hurt either. Breastfeeding did work out in the end, so I know that helped me shed a few pounds as well. All told, I lost over 60 pounds. Then, I had to go back to work. Summer was over, and I had to return to my job as a literacy specialist at an elementary school. I started eating again. It happened slowly, and I saw it happening, but I didn’t do anything about it. It was as though I could watch myself through someone else’s eyes, but I didn’t try to intervene. I just kept eating. WHY? I have thought about this a great deal, and I don’t have any good answers. Was I feeling guilty about taking my baby to daycare? Probably. Was I worn out and looking for comfort? Probably. Was I wishing for more consistent help from my husband? Probably. Are those good reasons to gain 60 pounds? Absolutely not. So here I am, obese again, trying to raise a well-adjusted girl in the United States. That is why I have made this decision. She is the reason I am going to be successful this time, even though I have been unsuccessful all the other times. I want to raise her, not watch her from the sidelines. I want to still be alive when she gets married and has beautiful babies of her own. I want to be able to chase her if she is getting into harms way. I will do this. So that brings us up to date. I have decided to have gastric banding, also known ad Lap-Band surgery. This simply has to work. I have to do the hard work to make it work. I am going to be successful at this! Several things happened to bring me to this decision. My good friend Heidi had gastric bypass surgery a little over a year ago. I mention this for several reasons. First of all, I love Heidi. I have always thought she was one of the most beautiful women I have ever met, even when she was heavy. Second, Heidi has always reminded me of myself. We were both women of faith, school teachers, intelligent, opinionated and well-read. I hold her in the highest esteem and respect her immensely. When Heidi told me she was going to have gastric bypass surgery, I was so excited for her. She had followed a path similar to mine, struggled with her weight all her life, tried all the commercially available programs, all to no avail. I was a bit worried of course, especially because I had just heard about another person I knew that had died from complications from bypass surgery. I started thinking about the notion of never being able to eat gluttonous amounts of food again. I thought about not being able to drink a can of soda pop. I thought about eating only Dixie Cup sized potions. Yuck. That was not for me. Not only that, it scared me. (continued in part two)