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I was banded 11/15/10 and I am finally feeling "almost" normal. You will get there. I was also surprised at how horrible I felt. I actually thought I would be able to go shopping by the end of the first week. NOT! It was much worse than I thought, but thankfully, each day gets a little better. I hate to exercise, but my surgeon said to take a minimum of 10 minute walks 4 times per day. It sucked to get out and do that while holding my side, but it actually made me feel better each time. It helped with gas and soreness in my back from sitting too long. I sipped broth, Protein shakes, and liquid Jello. Fat Free cream of chicken Soup (strained) seemed yummy after all those thin liquids. As for soft/mushy which is what I am on now, I live off canned tuna and chicken. I put the tuna in the food chopper with pickle juice and f.f. mayo. Chicken add some fat free gravy and blend with food chopper. They are both easy for me to get down and a good source of protein. Hang in there! It will get much better and it will be worth it!! There's so much proof of that on here.

I'm ok. Trying to get the Protein and Fluid in, but still not there. I think this may be hindering my loss. A little over two weeks and 16 lbs gone. Some people are posting 30 lb losses in one month. I can't imagine that will be me.

Remember all liquids count toward your intake so if you drink 16 oz water, 16 oz protein, 16 oz of broth, 16 oz of jello/popsicle/juice that equals your 64 oz of fluid for the day. Can you take one pill ever 3 oz of fluid you drink? That would get your 20 pills down. Hopefully you will be able to stop some pills as you lose weight.

Amylou, We're on the same schedule! I started my 10-day pre-op liquid diet yesterday, too! I had a hard day today . . . headache all day long, semi-nauseous, and HUNGRY. However, I am following the diet to the letter and know I will make it. The key for me was to find Protein shakes that I liked. I bought Optimum Nutrition 100% whey Gold Standard powder in Extreme Milk chocolate, and also in vanilla. I've mixed it into Cream of Rice, Soup, and have had some pretty tasty and filling smoothies (with Greek yogurt). Hang in there -- it's gotta get easier!

I don't think you'll have a problem as long as you stick to your plan. I did 8 days of protein shakes, cream soup, milk and water.

Me, too! I started yesterday! Mine is 3 Protein shakes and 3 oz of meat and 1 cup and 1/2 of veg. Sort of a Medifast diet. Then all liquid right before surgery. I have a month of this! Hang in there! We can do this!

So today was important. But not for reasons that I had anticipated. I was told I needed letters of medical necessity from every physician that treats me. For me that means my PCP and my OB/GYN. I got the letter from my PCP last month. But the earliest I could get into see my OB/GYN was today. He agreed to give me the letter. I had that appt right at 8 am and then headed into the medical center to my second weightloss appt and my nutrition consult. So I had it backwards in my head about which appt came first. I thought the nutrition consult was second. So this person comes in and doesn't identify herself as "the nutritionist", just gives me her name and asks if I had any questions. So I asked her all my general questions about my insurance predicament. Man. I didn't really KNOW what that predicament was. Cause it's a whole lotta different than I thought it was. There's a new one...and it's the real one... She didn't know, told me I'd have to talk to my advocate who was not there today. Said call her Monday. So we have some general conversation about my diet over the last month. I told her about my cleaning out of the pantry and my moves towards the "good stuff". I really am eating the good stuff with just little snippets of the bad stuff here and there - mostly on weekends. Most of what is in my pantry will be ok to restock in the future if I so desired. Still a few clean out things - but she wasn't into that whole "just throw it all out" notion. She was more into "be aware" - which I think I am and she claimed to think I was at the end of the appt, too. But in the last half hour with her I realized - she's the nutritionist and then in the last twenty minutes she got on her little soap box and the judging began. Oh well. I do hate that - but I have never met a nutritionist that CAN'T judge... Ok. So no real problems so far. The Nurse Practitioner eventually wanders in after the nutrition consult was over and she listens to my heart and lungs and says good job and is ready to send me on my merry way. Hold on...I think to myself. Since I now know I was talking to the nutritionist I'm thinking some of my "vague" questions might be answerable by the RNP. And two of them were. Yay! Somewhere along the line in the conversation with the nutritionist I think to myself - why can't I see one of the advocates that IS here. It doesn't have to be anything specific to my case, it doesn't mean anyone is looking up my specifics. I just had some general questions. And the RNP suggested that I do that...talk to one of the advocates that WAS there. So they go tell the advocate that was still there at the lunch hour that I have some questions and she comes and gets me after a bit. And I tell her my story. My company is changing my insurance options pretty drastically and I'll be left with a hefty deductible and a hefty OOP-Max (Out Of Pocket) or I'll be left with a ginormous deductible and a ginormous OOP-Max. The one with the ginormous options comes with a HSA, though - a health savings account. It's kinda like a health spending account but money left in the savings account at the end of the year will not be forfeited. And my employer will treat it like a 401K and will be putting money in that account for me as well as my own contributions. That account is (according to my employer) designed to pay for my healthcare after I retire. A third option is to switch to my husbands plans. He is currently on mine but we can walk away from mine and he would go back to his and I'd start up on his. If we did that, we could get a plan that is fairly comparable to my current plan - and the surgery would be paid for. Premiums are a bit higher than my two options - but they are actually $16 less than what we are currently paying. My insurance provider is Cigna. My husband's through his employer is Aetna. I know I have the Cigna requirements for eligibility that I was given last month covered. A BMI over 40 a nutrition consult a pysch eval a 6 month supervised weightloss program letters of medical necessity from all treating physicians. On the other hand, Aetna's requirements for my husbands optional plans are: A BMI over 40 a nutrition consult a pysch eval a 3 month supervised weightloss program letters of medical necessity from my PCP and a 2 year history of obesity So my question going in was is obesity a BMI over 40? Or is over 35 sufficient since I am NOW over 40? Yep, gotta have a minimum of 40 for all two years or more. I have no comorbidities. I don't want any. My dad died from type II diabetes and heart disease and my mom died from colon cancer. I have PLENTY of risks already - I don't need to add the weight, dagnabit!!!! I love that word! And then this advocate lady says - Aetna is the same as what you need for Cigna, so I'd recommend switching. No. I have this form RIGHT here that THIS office gave me that says my requirements are: A BMI over 40 a nutrition consult a pysch eval a 6 month supervised weightloss program letters of medical necessity from all treating physicians And she says, no, for your group on Cigna you need: A BMI over 40 a nutrition consult a pysch eval a 6 month supervised weightloss program letters of medical necessity from my PCP and a 2 year history of obesity And follows that with - what piece of paper do you have? So I pull it out of my handy dandy little folder and hand it to her. And she reads the top line. And she says - you shouldn't have this form, this isn't YOUR group. So I'm not eligible. Now. After doing the pysch consult. The nutrition consult. After redoing the stress test and my cardiologist I never saw in the first place signing off on it. After having my PCP and my OB/GYN agree to it. After ALL of that - and 4-8 missed hours of work EACH week since I started down this path - I find out I AM NOT ELIGIBLE :ohmy::mad::frown::crying::smile2::scared2::wub::mad: So she starts digging further. How did I get given this misinformation? Turns out THIS lady IS my advocate. Who knows why the other lady's name is written all over my chart - the one I am talking to is the one that has handled everything for my case so far. And now it makes sense. See. The problem is that I have not even been at this weight for a year let alone two. And my advocate breaks it down like this. If I do Aetna, I will be done with the weightloss program in early Jan. They submit my package, I get my approval, surgery in Feb. OK. Since they submit the package in Jan, Aetna will want two years which means going back to Jan of 2008. Jan 2008 = 132 pounds. For me that's a BMI of 37.4 Jan 2009 = 138 pounds. For me that's a BMI of 38.4. It was in March/April of this year that my weight went crazy putting me over the BMI of 40. I gain weight when I get OFF of birth control. I have gotten off of birth control four times and four times I have had the same reaction - 30-40 pounds before my hormones are back to normal and then I can hold steady from there. It is generally fairly easy for me to maintain a weight. It is literally when I play with my hormones that I get in trouble. With that said, sometimes my hormones play with themselves - and I know as I get older they will do that even more. And those times are just as damaging for my weight control. So that part that "makes sense". In October I went into my surgeon's office. And the RNP there told me that I would qualify if I proved two comorbidities along with my BMI of 40. And to prove those comorbidities I would need to go to this other clinic in the medical center where I would also do my six month supervised weight loss program. I have high cholesterol. She told me that would be one comorbidity and probably doing a sleep study would prove the second one. So I should be good. But I get to this other clinic a few days later and they say - no, you don't need any comorbidities. So this advocate - still scared to call her mine cause am I gonna end up with someone else later? - says well then lets get a sleep study. Are you drowsy in the afternoon? No. Do you wake up with headaches? No. Do you snore? My husband says No. Hmmm...then I won't qualify as needing a sleep study. And then she says - get this - well, you could do some things to prove type 2 diabetes? Excuse me? Excuse me? Excuse me? Excuse me? The disease that KILLED my dad - you want me to "play around with that"? Really? My blood pressure is absurdly LOW. Got any tricks for screwing that up? My heart has been deamed healthy by none other than a cardiologist. So she goes and gets the RNP eventually. Apparently you can be determined as qualified for a sleep study if 1) your neck is too big, 2) your waist is too big, and 3) if you say you are sleepy during the day. 1) my neck is huge. :tt2: I call it a football neck. It works on my body, I have a very strong neck and if we have boys when my husband and I have kids - they will have a good build for being football players. I like my neck. I will be happy when it loses weight, but I don't have an issue with my "huge" neck. 2) my waist is large. I'm fat. That was easy. 3) sure - I can say I'm sleepy. I sit at a computer all day long and around mid afternoon I get bored. And when I get bored, I get sleepy.

So today was important. But not for reasons that I had anticipated. I was told I needed letters of medical necessity from every physician that treats me. For me that means my PCP and my OB/GYN. I got the letter from my PCP last month. But the earliest I could get into see my OB/GYN was today. He agreed to give me the letter. I had that appt right at 8 am and then headed into the medical center to my second weightloss appt and my nutrition consult. So I had it backwards in my head about which appt came first. I thought the nutrition consult was second. So this person comes in and doesn't identify herself as "the nutritionist", just gives me her name and asks if I had any questions. So I asked her all my general questions about my insurance predicament. Man. I didn't really KNOW what that predicament was. Cause it's a whole lotta different than I thought it was. There's a new one...and it's the real one... She didn't know, told me I'd have to talk to my advocate who was not there today. Said call her Monday. So we have some general conversation about my diet over the last month. I told her about my cleaning out of the pantry and my moves towards the "good stuff". I really am eating the good stuff with just little snippets of the bad stuff here and there - mostly on weekends. Most of what is in my pantry will be ok to restock in the future if I so desired. Still a few clean out things - but she wasn't into that whole "just throw it all out" notion. She was more into "be aware" - which I think I am and she claimed to think I was at the end of the appt, too. But in the last half hour with her I realized - she's the nutritionist and then in the last twenty minutes she got on her little soap box and the judging began. Oh well. I do hate that - but I have never met a nutritionist that CAN'T judge... Ok. So no real problems so far. The Nurse Practitioner eventually wanders in after the nutrition consult was over and she listens to my heart and lungs and says good job and is ready to send me on my merry way. Hold on...I think to myself. Since I now know I was talking to the nutritionist I'm thinking some of my "vague" questions might be answerable by the RNP. And two of them were. Yay! Somewhere along the line in the conversation with the nutritionist I think to myself - why can't I see one of the advocates that IS here. It doesn't have to be anything specific to my case, it doesn't mean anyone is looking up my specifics. I just had some general questions. And the RNP suggested that I do that...talk to one of the advocates that WAS there. So they go tell the advocate that was still there at the lunch hour that I have some questions and she comes and gets me after a bit. And I tell her my story. My company is changing my insurance options pretty drastically and I'll be left with a hefty deductible and a hefty OOP-Max (Out Of Pocket) or I'll be left with a ginormous deductible and a ginormous OOP-Max. The one with the ginormous options comes with a HSA, though - a health savings account. It's kinda like a health spending account but money left in the savings account at the end of the year will not be forfeited. And my employer will treat it like a 401K and will be putting money in that account for me as well as my own contributions. That account is (according to my employer) designed to pay for my healthcare after I retire. A third option is to switch to my husbands plans. He is currently on mine but we can walk away from mine and he would go back to his and I'd start up on his. If we did that, we could get a plan that is fairly comparable to my current plan - and the surgery would be paid for. Premiums are a bit higher than my two options - but they are actually $16 less than what we are currently paying. My insurance provider is Cigna. My husband's through his employer is Aetna. I know I have the Cigna requirements for eligibility that I was given last month covered. A BMI over 40 a nutrition consult a pysch eval a 6 month supervised weightloss program letters of medical necessity from all treating physicians. On the other hand, Aetna's requirements for my husbands optional plans are: A BMI over 40 a nutrition consult a pysch eval a 3 month supervised weightloss program letters of medical necessity from my PCP and a 2 year history of obesity So my question going in was is obesity a BMI over 40? Or is over 35 sufficient since I am NOW over 40? Yep, gotta have a minimum of 40 for all two years or more. I have no comorbidities. I don't want any. My dad died from type II diabetes and heart disease and my mom died from colon cancer. I have PLENTY of risks already - I don't need to add the weight, dagnabit!!!! I love that word! And then this advocate lady says - Aetna is the same as what you need for Cigna, so I'd recommend switching. No. I have this form RIGHT here that THIS office gave me that says my requirements are: A BMI over 40 a nutrition consult a pysch eval a 6 month supervised weightloss program letters of medical necessity from all treating physicians And she says, no, for your group on Cigna you need: A BMI over 40 a nutrition consult a pysch eval a 6 month supervised weightloss program letters of medical necessity from my PCP and a 2 year history of obesity And follows that with - what piece of paper do you have? So I pull it out of my handy dandy little folder and hand it to her. And she reads the top line. And she says - you shouldn't have this form, this isn't YOUR group. So I'm not eligible. Now. After doing the pysch consult. The nutrition consult. After redoing the stress test and my cardiologist I never saw in the first place signing off on it. After having my PCP and my OB/GYN agree to it. After ALL of that - and 4-8 missed hours of work EACH week since I started down this path - I find out I AM NOT ELIGIBLE :drool::ohmy::drool::drool::drool::drool: So she starts digging further. How did I get given this misinformation? Turns out THIS lady IS my advocate. Who knows why the other lady's name is written all over my chart - the one I am talking to is the one that has handled everything for my case so far. And now it makes sense. See. The problem is that I have not even been at this weight for a year let alone two. And my advocate breaks it down like this. If I do Aetna, I will be done with the weightloss program in early Jan. They submit my package, I get my approval, surgery in Feb. OK. Since they submit the package in Jan, Aetna will want two years which means going back to Jan of 2008. Jan 2008 = 132 pounds. For me that's a BMI of 37.4 Jan 2009 = 138 pounds. For me that's a BMI of 38.4. It was in March/April of this year that my weight went crazy putting me over the BMI of 40. I gain weight when I get OFF of birth control. I have gotten off of birth control four times and four times I have had the same reaction - 30-40 pounds before my hormones are back to normal and then I can hold steady from there. It is generally fairly easy for me to maintain a weight. It is literally when I play with my hormones that I get in trouble. With that said, sometimes my hormones play with themselves - and I know as I get older they will do that even more. And those times are just as damaging for my weight control. So that part that "makes sense". In October I went into my surgeon's office. And the RNP there told me that I would qualify if I proved two comorbidities along with my BMI of 40. And to prove those comorbidities I would need to go to this other clinic in the medical center where I would also do my six month supervised weight loss program. I have high cholesterol. She told me that would be one comorbidity and probably doing a sleep study would prove the second one. So I should be good. But I get to this other clinic a few days later and they say - no, you don't need any comorbidities. So this advocate - still scared to call her mine cause am I gonna end up with someone else later? - says well then lets get a sleep study. Are you drowsy in the afternoon? No. Do you wake up with headaches? No. Do you snore? My husband says No. Hmmm...then I won't qualify as needing a sleep study. And then she says - get this - well, you could do some things to prove type 2 diabetes? Excuse me? Excuse me? Excuse me? Excuse me? The disease that KILLED my dad - you want me to "play around with that"? Really? My blood pressure is absurdly LOW. Got any tricks for screwing that up? My heart has been deamed healthy by none other than a cardiologist. So she goes and gets the RNP eventually. Apparently you can be determined as qualified for a sleep study if 1) your neck is too big, 2) your waist is too big, and 3) if you say you are sleepy during the day. 1) my neck is huge. :ohmy: I call it a football neck. It works on my body, I have a very strong neck and if we have boys when my husband and I have kids - they will have a good build for being football players. I like my neck. I will be happy when it loses weight, but I don't have an issue with my "huge" neck. 2) my waist is large. I'm fat. That was easy. 3) sure - I can say I'm sleepy. I sit at a computer all day long and around mid afternoon I get bored. And when I get bored, I get sleepy.

I am 4 wks out and getting about 50g of protein and plenty of fluids but only 400-450 calories per day. NUT doesn't want any more calories. I have no hunger and literally set an alarm to get in the 5 meals/snacks per day. NUT says 8 wks out and I'll progress to 800 calories per day. I'm glad I still have my taste buds though....just have no interest in food.

PS the Cornerstone Chocolate Protein that my doctor insisted I have is DISGUSTING!!!!

I had surgery on the 27 of May, and came home from hospital 8lbs heavier! But, I know that was do to the fluids they were giving me. I am sticking to everything by the book and I lost the 8lbs and now from my preop weight I am down 3 lbs. Not the numbers I want to See either. I just feel that this is the easy part, when I actually start eating semi solids it's going to be even harder. I have been jounaling my food/liquid intake and I barely hit 500 cal. A day. Barely get 60 g of Protein. I get my first restriction on the 7/8 . So far so good, haven't had any complications. It is fustration to know I have been on liquids for 14 days and only be down 3 lbs. I know, I know...We just need to use patience, and heal and not worry if it is not on our own timetable. Still new to website, so I am looking for some friends....:-) Chrissy

My insurance required that I go to a Center for Excellence, so that only gave me two options. I think all of your options were things I considered in my decision, but ultimately I have to say I went with my gut. What sold me, more than anything, was the video I saw of my surgeon. His compassion and care for the work he did was so evident in that video it reduced me to tears because I knew I had found someone who understood - really understood - the complexity of morbid obesity. I was not disappointed when I went to my first visit. This is the first physician I've seen since the age of 10 who did not denigrate me, lecture me or treat me as sub-human. His staff was equally compassionate and professional and the hospital was truly amazing in their friendliness and care of me during my stay. I do not regret my decision one iota.

I had surgery on April 15, 2013. I always get at least 80 grams of protein and I take all my vitamins including 5000 Biotin for hair. I drink all my liquids and follow the diet I was given pretty well. About three weeks ago my hair started falling out. My surgeon said it shouldn't fall out for sleeves but here we are. I knew going into this it was a possibility and I thought thin and healthy and bald was better than fat with good hair, but I'm having a hard time accepting this. When you go through trauma, hair can fall out. Last week my scalp got sunburned on vacation! My friends who've had sleeve and RNY all say it will grow back. I'm praying for it to be soon!

So far I feel ok. The smell of my daughters fish sticks were a little hard.... I have to drink protien shakes with 20-30 grams of Protein per drink. Less than 200 cal per drink, less than 5 grams of fat and sugar per drink. I get 4 shakes a day with almond milk. I can have low fat/low sodium soups like healthy choice, one serving 5x a day. Cream of wheat, applesauce/ pudding low fat sugar free. Veggies are free Here's a sample menu

I love premier protein! That's What I have been drinking up to this point. But the doc wants me to use his barfy protein Cornerstone.......

I just started mine today! I pretty much resent the heck out of anyone chewing within sight of me LOL. This too shall pass (so I've heard). Your diet sounds a lot like mine, except I can't have veggies. The doctor doesn't have a preference in shakes, just as long as there is at least 15 grams of Protein, and less than 20 grams of carbs per cup. Do you have a calorie restriction? Mine is supposed to be 800-1000 calories a day.

I was banded March 2008 When I first decided to check out the option of lapbanding I was 213 pounds. I went in for the preliminary check up and had lost 10 pounds but of course I think that was the fear of hey I could be skinny lol I was having caused the weight loss. By the time the preop diet was complete I had lost another 10 pounds so it was looking good. I handed over the cheque for 16 grand and yeah you know it lost another few pounds lol By July I had lost 47 pounds and was feeling great. I had another fill this was my second one and about a month and half later that is when it started, I was throwing up constantly. If I ate and drank water I would vomit. Everything got stuck. I continued like this for some time before going back to doc and having an unfill that was in September. It was a nightmare as I felt terrible but the scales said I was down another 15 pounds but this is not how I need to lose the weight. I have lost another 3 pounds since then. I know it is slower now but I can tell you it is still my problem as I get nervous about the food so I eat what I know will stay down and that is not always the best foods. I am going back to see doc since I have read other posters and now I am afraid of losing the band all together due to slippage. I will make it to the destination because I have been waiting for me for a long time. I would like to lose another 30 pounds and better yet keep it off for life. I am being very conscious from here on as a promise to my life that I will eat properly.

This is my struggle, too. I just had my first appoinement and have made the decision to move forward. I have told my husband and my close friends who are all very supportive, I am very lucky for that! What I dred is telling my family. They all live in town and we see each other often. I know not telling them is not an option- if they found out I had surgery without telling them all hell would break loose. I'm just worried about their reaction. My BMI is just over 35 and I have been smaller before (I have the great yo yo weight) which makes me think everyone will say "just go on a diet, you've done it before" I know they wont understand. I wish I could go without telling co-workers but they will want to know why I'm out of work and even though not their business, we tell each other everything else so it would be too obvious! Ugh!

Has anyone had a consult with Dr Horgan at UCSD in La Jolla. What is his consultation time made up of since it is 2.5 hours long? The seminar is separate where all the weightloss surgeries options are explained. I have never been to anyone that has such a long consult appt time. thanks

About the drinking and protein shake, yep! I was instructed to wait. The bariatric coordinator actually gave me a schedule of when I should "eat" my shake, then the 30 minute wait period, then when I can drink again. And how much I should drink. She was so strict about sticking to the schedule and it does make sense. Example; 8-8:30 am; Drink 3 ounces of protein shake 8:30-9 am; NOTHING by mouth 9-12; drink 20 ounces of water. Then it continues like that until 9pm. I think starting now just helps prepare for when you can have solid food.

Just wondering any one buy stuff to make Protein shakes or anyone buy multi Vitamins? Just a thought before i do buy it if its needed or no one uses it. THANKS =D

I'm an August 5 date with surgery at 12:30 pm. I have been using oxycodone along with Tylenol and ibuprofen as scheduled to reduce the use of narcotics. But it does hurt. I've been sleeping a lot but it doesn't help that I have hypersomnia. I spent 23 hours in the hospital and have been taking two ounces of lo cal Gatorade and two ounces premier plus protein supplement every hour. I don't feel hungry but take it anyway. I'm assuming the occ chest pain is heartburn which was horrific right after surgery. My stomach also gurgles a lot after I drink and I thought I would throw up at one point but didn't. Does the pro powder you use blend well? The one I tried was a bit lumpy. I'm pretty tired.

I had surgery Aug 4th at 11am. I was in recovery until about 4 because they didn't have a room. I was pretty sleepy for about 24 hours so I did a lot of sleeping and walking. I had the barium x-ray on Wednesday morning and it was awful. I barfed it all back up but kept it down long enough for them to check for leaks. After that I was cleared to have broth, jello, water, and juice. I really didn't want anything while I was in the hospital. I came home Thursday and got all of my protein in yesterday which made me super happy. I haven't gotten all of my water in yet so I'm working on that today. My biggest issue is the exhaustion. I have 2 small children and am used to going and doing things all day. Now I put laundry in and have to sit down. Veterans, how long does this last? I have basically no pain since the gas is getting better. My incisions never hurt, they're just itchy.

The article says "less than 1% of the product is “whey protein concentrate.” Whey protein is the type of protein that you should be looking for because it absorbs more quickly than casein." In stage 1 the liquid phase, it is hard to get your protein from any other sources besides the fact that I bought so much of it. I was worried about damage done, but now that I'm out of stage 1 and doing soups and able to add a scoop of protein I am glad.. I will continue to use them, but cautiously, since I have them, but I hope that Premier isn't lying about anything else about the product. Disappointed.

So, what do you eat everyday? I am weaning off liquids and moving to solids. If I get Protein, I seem to also get a lot of fat. So I'm wondering, what kind of foods do you eat to keep the calories and fat low, but the protein high? Any tips would be great! Thanks!