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Hey guys, I'll be having my sleeve in a few weeks!! Can't wait. My surgery time is 8pm and my surgeon has another 6 sleeves to do before mine. Is this something to be worried about? Is it normal for such a late operation time? Thanks.

@ i dont measure. but i do feel looseness in my clothes. but im still annoyed after a week of hard work to only see one pound. i think i just got spoiled after the first 3 weeks post op to be losing so much so fast and then suddenly .....nothin. but i'm staying on track and hoping to rebound next week. just needed to pout.

Being new to this group (and 2 weeks PRE-op, I am so grateful for these forums...it helps me "get in touch" with what to expect so I don't freak smooth out when "I feel" something has veered off my preferred plan. I don't know any of y'all---but already feel like a kindred spirit to so many, having felt, thought and experienced the same things. To Original poster: Deep breath! Your body has been through some major drama & the "injury" of surgery takes months to completely heal. (I'm a nurse)--- 6 weeks for initial healing, 6 months for total healing. So go easy on yourself. [[[[[[ hugs ]]]]]]

When can we eat cooked vegetables?? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Nope, he doesn't kgb. I should say, he doesn't require a liquid pre-op diet. It's not that unheard of. I did have to lose weight on my 6 month medically supervised diet or he would not clear me for surgery. Two years ago when my cousin went to get the lapband surgery, her surgeon (different than mine) didn't require it. However, when they opened her up, her liver was too fatty and they couldn't do the surgery at that time. So she had to do a liquid diet prior to the surgeon trying again. Some surgeons want a week, some want two. Nothing is set in stone as far as pre-op liquid diet guidelines.

Hello everybody, My name is Mona and i just had my last blood tests done today before my surgery. In two weeks i get the results and my doctor will set an appointment and im finally going to do it! Im so excited. Im now 33 and have been obese for almost the last 20 years and its about time to get my life on the right track! This website has been extremely helpful! Thanks to everyone for sharing!

Do expect to be a little emotional from surgery and sore but don't worry just tell them you want to walk (i know doesn't sound logical but it helps) at my hospital after yu walk they give you pain meds- believe me for the first week that will be your best friend. You're going to do great! Good luck tomorrow!

Hello! I got banded on March 14, 2012, after a few weeks of waiting for insurance approval. I can't believe it's already happened, I was so ready for a change in my life. I have three children who just can't wait to see me run and jump on the trampoline. I received my first fill on April 9th, 2012 and I now have 5.2 cc's total. My appetite still seems to be a bit large, should I be worried?

Do not be worried. I was banded in December I had my 3rd fill last week and honestly until this 3rd fill I wasnt feeling that much restriction ... but trust me its slow and steady step by step. You will get there!

Hello all- So glad I found this website--it's always less daunting to know you're 'not the only one' out there and can discuss what's going through your mind (which works overtime with big decisions like this) I meet my surgeon tomorrow morning with hubby and my sister to set a date. April 3 is being strongly considered, at my request and the surgeon's office OK, as my Easter week off will minimize the need for lots of sick time. My background is that I've always been the 'big one'. The youngest, yet largest sibling. The big, funny friend. The mom who can't jump into the mix for anything too physically demanding. The overweight bride. The airplane passenger they all dread sitting next to--and who prays that she won't have to ask for an extender. Ugh...I'm sick of all those labels. I'm ready to start fresh and get healthy. I have sleep apnea, take BP meds, have knee pain, back pain, and am on anti-depressant. I'd like to eliminate those eventually. I have finally decided that my love affair with food is not so 'lovely' and I want to see how the other half eats. I have a loving, (thin) husband who is very supportive but doens't really 'get it' the way we all do..he is very supportive of whatever I do though and I'm very thankful for that. I have to boys 7 and 10 years old who need a mom with more energy and confidence. I want to be able to set a good fitness example for them too (and maybe show up in some of their childhood photos..lol) I actually started this process, in Buffalo NY, in November 2010 with original intentions for surgery in early 2011. They'd put me on S. Beach diet as part of their pre-surgery requirements...I'd done very well on s. beach and the surgeon gave me the choice as he felt I was an excellent candidate but since I was having success did I want to try on my own? I did try on my own and eventually (again) failed at weight loss. So I"m back...but this time for the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy as I'd, over my year, heard several stories of how the lap-band required a great deal of maintenance and had some pitfalls along the way. Maybe it was meant to be that I waited as my insurance carrier, which covers the VSG now would not have last year. So, cross your finger and say your prayers for me that I get my surgery scheduled and I can join you all in the Quest for a new beginning. I'm ready. Nervous about surgery but definitely ready. Moreso than ever before. Thank you for any advice or support you can lend me. I've told a very select few people (a couple close co-workers, friends, and family) and plan to keep it to myself generally. Amy

Hello! I'm Liz and I am new to these forums. I wish I found this place so much sooner! I had my sugery February 9, 2011 and am down about 100lbs. I still have about 90-100lbs to go. I moved from Arkansas to Kansas almost a year ago so I've had the experience of finding a new surgeon for my fills and what not. I had my very first fill 6 weeks post op and did great. I had him add a little more about 6 months later and have done well with that. I moved after that so I went about 6 more months without seeing a surgeon. I had my new doctor add 1 cc of fluid and became totally obstructed. That was the most horrible experience I've had during this time. I went back to my doctor less than a week later and he took 2 ccs out. I gained weight for the first time since my surgery and that has been very disheartening. So last week I had him add 1 cc so I am back to where I was before I visited my new doctor. I am still trying to teach myself to eat correctly. I get so hungry and then overeat and that is so uncomfortable. Anyway, am very excited to have people to talk to about this experience and look forward to meeting new people and learning new things.

I'm done being the "extra fluffy, slightly big boned, extra thick, juicy gal I've been. Here is to the thin me who has always lived inside and who is getting rid of the fat girl suit once and for all. Long gone will be the days of someone asking me when my due date is and me smiling and saying "I'm not pregnant just fat. Then helping them through that awkward moment afterward.....I'm looking forward to using ALL of my walk in closet and not just the tiny section that holds the clothes that does fit! Looking forward to being in front of the camera and not behind it all the time or shielding behind my children to hide myself on the rare occasion there is a snap shot of me. And really folks, I'd rather have two brains than two double chins you know! AND I so look forward to my thighs rubbing together NO MORE. Can I hear an :amen: My heaviest was 225 and I've been on the pre op diet for a few weeks and currently at 207. My journey has been a long one on the same road but now as I've always said, there's something better for me just around the corner even if that corner is a 7 hour flight and short ride across the boarder. To my Lord and Savior who through Him all things are possible I am humbled for the blessings in my life. My husband who vowed to make his life mission to making me happy has stood by me through all of this. He is my blessing and I adore him. I will be that healthy person that my children will have around for many years to come who they will be proud of. To my big sister Lula, who always sees the bright side everything in me. I love you sissy. To my kindred spirits on this wonderful site, you inspire me every time I log on. A shout out to Tiffykins, Erin92 and Oregondaisy; you have walked a mile in my high heels and your support through posts and chat help on the learning curve for newbies like me. Tiffykins, you’re a blessing on this site I can’t tell you how much I have learned from reading your comments from pre op, maintenance and recipes to name a few. I love them all. Well folks, I’ve rambled long enough. Please say a little prayer for me. Thank you for visiting my post today. Next time we chat up I'll be a loser just like you! I've never been more excited!! :party4:

I was nervous went I went in too! Don't worry you will be thanking yourself later. I hate not sleeping at home and quite frankly I did not believe I had sleep apnea so I almost did I not go lol. My family said it would be good to just get it over with. I did have a hard time sleeping at the clinic but I glad I went. I have had my machine for a couple weeks now and I notice a HUGE difference in my alertness. I also wake up faster in the morning and I don't get up as often during the night. It's better to be safe and do the test because sleep apnea puts a lot of stress on your heart and your body in general which could cause you to have a heart attack or stroke. After all this stuff we are doing to get to surgery to have a better life, ...you might as well through this in too! Better safe than sorry.

That is great. I will be praying for you both. I will keep in touch. Ivd had to do a high protien liquid diet for 2 weeks and I cant wait to finally get to surgery! I am very excited and its great to have this group! Im from Michigan where are you all from

There is no "we" in post-op bariatric eating unless you are talking to patients of the same surgeon being advised by the same dietitian. My instructions may be very different from yours -- you need to check in with your own team. My instructions were: no veggies until 8 weeks post op. Even then, green/low carb veggies only, they had to be cooked enough so that they were soft enough to cut easily with a fork, and no more than 1 oz per meal (the other 1-2 oz of the meal had to be high protein food such as soft meat or scrambled eggs).

Update** tomorrow is my labs, EKG and stress test... getting nervous, we are 2 weeks away and its actually setting now. Next week i start my pre op diet

Hi all! I am new to this website, i have managed to finally book my lap band surgery for november 2011 after fighting with myself for so many years! I am 176 cms tall and weigh almost 139kgs.. sigh... i never thought it would be that hard letting that out..... i have a high high cholesterol of almost 9.0, and although i am getting this done because i want a healthier and longer life in the future, i am looking forward to being able to feel like a normal "young" person like i should be feeling at my age! i turn 21 in a couple of weeks and do wish all my weight loss methods would have worked till now, because i have literally tried everything under the face of the sun, terry white, weight watchers, jenny craig, personal trainers, xenical, naturopathy... this was my last and final option! im so scared of the operation because i have been researching all the bad things that could come out of it but i am concentrating on the positive for now and cannot wait to have it done! the one thing i am scared of is failure.. so far all the weight loss methods i have tried have failed and ended up with me gaining triple of what i lost... i started dieting at 12 and have not been able to buy normal clothes for many years now.... i just hope it all works out well! anyone else getting it done anytime soon?

I got my surgery date today for 6/30/11 (fingers crossed for the FINAL ok from the insurance)! This is going to be long winded but I am really glad I have found this forum of people that truly understand! I decided on LapBand as a last resort. I have tried everything gone up and down 70 lbs here and there but have never been able to maintain it. My goal was to be thin by the time my daughter started Kindergarten in order to avoid embarrassment for her – that came and went…. Then my goal was to be skinny by my 30th b-day – that is in two weeks….. I have now decided that instead of moping about 30 I am going to make a change for me that is lasting. I started nutrition counseling back in February and even through the counseling, I was not 100% sure that this is what I wanted to do. Last month, I made the firm decision to proceed and now I can’t wait to start a new life at 30! I am terrified of surgery so I am hoping that part goes smoothly. I am also terrified of giving up food. I know I can do it… Someone else on here described it as getting a divorce from your best friend or something similar. I cannot agree more with this statement! I am addicted to food….. It is there for me. I have been slightly panicked about not being able to eat this or that…. I am hoping that the surgery will ease that constant want for food. I am trying my best to make a lot of changes prior to surgery so that I am not in a complete panic after. Then there is always the lingering question of “what if it doesn’t work?” Any advice, thoughts, support, etc. is greatly appreciated. I have a great support system; however, the majority of them are thin so while they are GREAT they can’t really understand the full struggle with weight and food!

Hi All - This is my first official post to ALL. I have been doing all of the pre op things that you have to do and now my journey will begin tomorrow. Tomorrow I will begin a 2 week Pre-op liquid diet. I have been reading everyone's posts and trying to prepare myself for this. I have been having the same feelings as some of you - Will I ever be able to eat bread again? Today I want to eat the items I will not be able to eat again for a while. I really think I will struggle with the mental hunger and have been trying to identify triggers - so I can avoid them. I am hoping to keep myself busy the next couple of weeks so I don't make everyone around me crazy. I am a pretty steady person and I can not believe I am having stress about it. I think it is just like the first day of school and a new job. The unknown is a little disturbing. I can focus on the things I have control over. Making sure I eat the right food and making sure I stay active will help quite a bit. Here's to a wonderful new year - I wish all of you the best. This will be an interesting year.

Hello, I had my proceedure 8 weeks ago this Wednesday, I was recovering very nicely with no problems or infections and I was cleared to do anything I wanted to physically but 1 day after Christmas my largest scar starting leaking something. I don't have fever but it's getting worse (leaking more) not better and I'm scheduled to see my doctor tomorrow. Until then I was able to walk the 10k steps daily and ride my stationary bike for 45 minutes x 5 with no porblems whatsoever. Has anybody else experienced this? I have been following all the lapband recovery protocols (food types and consistancies & exercise to the letter. I have lost 56 pounds since November 14th but I actually cannot eat anything at all until after noon daily without the left shoulder pain nerve going off the scale. By anything I mean nothing at all. No water or anything. I only try to eat something twice a day. At this point I really don't care if I lose another oz. I was able to actually drink/swallow more 10 days after the surgery than now. I don't like this at all. Best regards, niteal

I have been on a waiting list for surgery. I got a call from my doctors nurse. November 24th is the date. I need to go and get my physical finding from my PCP and then see the surgeon and the anasticiologist to give them the report and get their clearance for surgery. I never thought that I could feel so excited and scared at the same time. His nurse said at my BMI pre-op diet isn't needed. However, I think I will go for at least a week on 2 protein shakes a day and then a low carb meal in late afternoon. Has anyone heard of not having to do the pre-op diet? I just think that it would be easier to do to start because of the diet after surgery. Anyone else around my date?

I'm one month post as well. Now that I can actually eat the whole game is changing. I was doing about 700 calories and 65 gms of protein. 2nd day back at work. I manage a retirement home and i'm on duty to oversee three meals a day. Today I ate 890 calories and 106 gms protein. I was told to get at least 60 gms, but how much is too much? I haven't lost any weight since Friday.

I am the same way and I work 3 - 15 1/2 hr days a week on my feet most of it. My surgery was 4/10 I was back to work 10 days post-op. It wore me out.

Hi, I am also fairly new to this. I too have been struggling with my weight for years and have hit my all time high. I have been on every diet imagineable, lose 20-30 lbs., get discouraged and gain it back. I had my first Lap band meeting December 7,2010. I had an endoscopy on December 15th and did the sleep study on January 4, 2011. I got the call 2 days ago that I am approved and scheduled my Lap band for March 31. I had to stall it because I just had foot surgery on February 11 and I am supposed to keep it iced and elevated for 2 weeks and no weight bearing for 6 weeks. So I am excited to follow you on your journey. I start my pre surgery diet on March 17th. You will have to keep me up to date on how its going. Take Care....Hope to hear from you soon.