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I am a week and 3 days in on my pre op diet and im on 2 shakes a day with 4oz protien lean meat. Its not as bad as i would thought but temptation can be strong at times but u just look away, my biggest addiction was sweets cakes candys etc and now going cold turkey with non has been a process and still watching other people eat it bc they can have what they want is a little hurtful but i have the strongest willpower to push through! I got this! Sleeve n only couple days now and i couldent be happier with my decision! stay focussed you guys we got this!!! Stay strong!!!

I had to switch to liquid multi bc chewable were irritating my sleeve. The dr said its bc the multi chew can be too concentrated. The liquid does me much better. Also, chewable really means more like suck on till its gone now that youve had surgery. lol

Hi girls and guys! I am from the UK and I am struggling with cooking decent healthy meals, I just get fed up with cooking such a little amount and still not being able to eat it all, I end up throwing it away as I hate to reheat stuff it tastes awful to me! I lived on take aways cause I hated cooking! I am just not sure! Some days I end up not eating at all, it slips my mind cause I am dealing with my 3 kids so forget as i fall into bed when they do and sparks out U will lose sizes! I have gone down 2 sizes and am in the middle of a size at present which is so frustrating but I have lost 71lb and it's been 2 months since my op

This is my 3rd day post op and is been difficult... Just the adaption of not having food..... I have felt some head hunger,but it was bc my sister was cooking so then I went to my room.... I felt a little depressed I'm not sure my hormones and my period just arrived... Is just plain difficult but I knew how was going to be... Is hard but not impossible

Friends, I'm scared. I had surgery my RNY may 11th. I did everything I was told pre op. I had 3 weeks liq diet and I did my workouts. Surgery went well. I was in pain but did my walking and slept a lot! When it came time to try to do liquids I had no problems getting it down. Then Protein drinks. Again good. They said my pouch was not swollen and it happens I was lucky. It's now close to a week. I've healed well. Walking and strong. Drinking my liquids and ready for the puree food on Tuesday. I'm scared it's not going to work. I've even thought maybe they didn't do it right. (The dr has done thousands all successful so that's BS). It's a total mind screw. I've heard so many horror stories and saw others the same day not doing so well. Please help set my mind to ease and tell me I'm not alone and for some people this is normal. Thanks!

If you had posted this during the beginning of the approval process, I would have told you to let those people have it. I've worked in the medical field and patients that can be pushed around are pushed around because a lot of people who work in medical offices, not the doctors, PA's or people with actual medical education, have a minimal education and are exceptionally lazy. If someone is rude to you, you call them out on it right that moment. If someone wants to push BS policies like these, you explain to them that your insurance does not require that procedure and if they are going to insist on following arbitrary rules that are not required, you will absolutely go elsewhere. You are not just the patient, you are the customer....if they don't treat you the way you deserve to be treated, you let them know you have no tolerance for it, and you walk away. I have a doctor (not my sleeve surgeon- he was a tool) that I love and who has largely very competent people. A few of his front desk girls though are complete idiots, so instead of dealing with them, I just ask to speak to someone who is competent or I tell them to have my doctor call me. If someone can't do their job, I will happily bypass them and let their boss know exactly why I didn't bother going through his little chain of dummies. That being said...you're so close to approval, let it go until after surgery. In the end you are getting what you want and after surgery you can write them a very long, detailed letter and potentially a review online that should allow them to revise their procedures and their behavior.

@@jackiemc1987 wait fingers are pointing at me to LOL. We just are the few that tell it like it is. We don't type a bunch of BS, while swallowing down a candy bar. LOL

Lmao your absolutely right. My kids, 2 & 4 are done before me... Not bc of shoveling but for me, slow has been the key. I think every office may be different bc they told me any proteins. Including my homemade Meatballs and sausage or one sausage link with egg in the am. I don't find I want to eat it anyways lol.

I had surgery on Monday and was in the hospital until Thursday afternoon. I napped a lot in the hospital mostly bc I was not sleeping well at night, the after effects of the anasthesia, and the pain meds. Once I got home I was taking only Tylenol and have not napped but I am in bed and exhausted by 7:30 pm.

I am 5 days post-op and get that very full feeling if I drink to much to fast too. I am literally keeping a water bottle in my hand all day and sipping all day. I get full the fastest and feel the worst when I am drinking the protein shakes bc they are the thickest. I think it is all a work in progress and we need to take time to get to know what works best for our own pouches.

Drop dead diva- I was wondering when u were diagnosed with kidney cancer. Was it before or after wt loss surgery. I am scheduled for gastric sleeve surgery on 6-1-15. Last year I had my right kidney removed bc of cancer. I am a bit hesitant to have at loss surgery bc of the kidney ca. Any thoughts or insight is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Some of us old bandsters are still around. We hide at times bc we have been through a lot of questions and answers in my opinion... ???????? my band. This year will be 9 years. I'm am compliant. And I do have liquid days ( thanks B-52) that help ... But very occasionally Happy and healthy. With a TT thrown in this year which helped me to lose my last 10 lbs I was aiming for... But willing to concede if needed.

My doctor said that it is best because they halfto make sure i have no colmplications from this surgery before they can do my sleeve bc if i do have complications i halfto push my sleeve back, that was my question too, everyone asked him that lol but idk hes the doctor so im just doing what im told ya know

I had to do the pre-op diet twice (bc my first scheduled surgery got cancelled three days before surgery). The first time I pushed through and it was ok. The second time (just had my surgery this past Monday) felt much harder. I was really hungry and the protein shakes just were not filling me up. I really struggled but Now I can say liquids before surgery are way different than liquids after surgery. Now i am having a hard time getting in all the liquids bc my stomach fills up so fast. My head hunger still exists and some things sound like they might be good, like swordfish, but the reality is I think if I ate three bites I would explode! Keep pushing bc you are almost there.

Today is day 4 of the scale not budging. I'm going to give one week, if it continues, I'll change up my eating and protein. I really don't want to, bc I want my body to get used to eating solids. Not just liquid anymore. It's a hard transition when your going from one to the other.

30 y.o., 5'8", 230-240 (fluctuating weight) Weight and Weight-Loss Attempt History: Been overweight since I was 19. Went up to the 220s-230s for years. Pre-diabetic and fed up .. was able to get down to 180, but that was with an unsustainable schedule for myself: 1.5 hours workout in the morning followed by a 2 hour workout in the evening. Plus a calorie restriction. I was constantly exhausted, unsatisfied, and unhappy. Since, the weight has come back and I'm back to the 220s-240 range. I've tried yoga. I've had therapy. I've had trainers. I have had online trainers and nutritionists. I have had logs and trackers. I have been trained in mindful eating. I went to a stay away weight loss / therapy / nutrition / physical therapy program for over a week. Through it, it became clear I love working out and eating well, but it is very hard to feel full. It takes a lot more food to feel full, and I feel full for less long. I heard many others talk about how they eat because they don't know what hunger or fullness feels like. I totally know! Insurance: I called a Center for Excellence here in Boston (Mount Auburn), and at first they said Harvard Pilgrim requires a BMI ≥ 35 and a co-morbidity. At first, Mount Auburn said that HP wouldn't accept it. However, after calling HP, they told me that they accept apps on a case-by-case basis, and that Mt. Auburn should submit all relevant info with the application. Compressed discs (L5/S1) as a result of an initial and repeated injuries as the result of domestic violence. I have had numerous visits to the E.R. and my primary care physician. All she could find was a compressed disc. However, my back - especially since my weight gain - has made life difficult. I throw it out frequently, miss numerous days of work, and am unable to enjoy healthier activities. Above all else, it prevents me from working. I'm a teacher, and have to sit, lie down, or stay home. Sitting up from bed or even bending over to look at my students' work feels like a strain on the back, and can sometimes send shooting pain through my back/leg. Every doctor has said there isn't anything to do. So at this point, combined with my weight, my health and quality of life is worsening. I feel stuck. I can follow a program, but every program I try is not sustainable because at the end of the day I am just hungry. And the gastric sleeve seems like the teammate I need to help with the hunger, while I take care of everything else. QUESTIONS: Has anyone had similar experiences, or experiences with HP? What do you think my chances are? What - if any - documentation or details should I provide to Mt. Auburn so they can submit it to HP? Anyone know for sure what HP's requirements are? Thank you all for any help, and I hope you all find assistance and help in here too!

For me "cheating" diffuses the personal responsibility bc I associate it with rebelling against "the man" who made the rules ya know? And if I don't get in trouble (ie gain weight, cause myself pain, etc) then I got away with it and the rules ceases to be "right" and I can continue to ignore it. If I make a choice to eat something I don't normally eat then it doesn't challenge or change the plan in the same way, it just superceeds it temporarily

Hello everyone, I am glad you started this thread even though it seems like it has bee a little while since anyone posted. I have had my band for about 5 years and I have been a vegetarian for about 3.5. I actually had my band too tight for over 4 years and they told me this was actually hurting me because now I had to overcome the natural tendency to eat carbs bc they go down easier and being a vegetarian and lacking Protein. I recently got my third adjustment after taking almost all my Fluid out to get relief from heartburn. Now I feel like I am at a great place bc I am not getting overly hungry and fill up easily on Beans, Greek yogurt, and egg whites while still being able to eat great veggies (I could barely eat 3 pieces of broccoli before I figured my fill level out). I love being a vegetarian and I hope to go full vegan in the future, with my band, and losing weight like a rockstar! I would love to join a recipe group on FB if that is still an option. Nice to meet you!

@@Djmohr Thank you so much @@hellohealthy Yayyyyy congrats to you!! I'm loving this stage right now and it only gets better from here! They actually don't allow us to have baby food bc there's not enough Protein and there could be a lot of sugar.

After a year long effort to get to this point I finally had rny on Monday. I am still in the hospital and having trouble walking bc my blood pressure is dropping very low (90/50) and I get pretty dizzy. I could really use some words of encouragement while I am lying here very bruised and in a significant amount if pain. I know in my head that it will get better but having a hard time right now.

@Tammy You bring up a really good point TEXTURE. Tonight I had some bites of wheat flour (form of crust) for the first time. It was HEAVY. Tonight, we got tired of the chicken, shrimp, fish, quinoa, and veggies we've been eating for 2 months. Otherwise, my breakfasts, Snacks, and lunches are light. I was focused on amount... it was after, when it laid so heavy that I considered how dense the food was I had eaten. I was wondering if anyone had a phrase, a motto, something motivational to help them through the "I want to finish that" drive! I'm also tired of all my food getting cold after a few bites. As I've healed, I'm noticing I'm inching towards eating faster again!!-- mainly bc I'm tired of my food getting cold bc I'm so slow! I don't mean to complain. This surgery was the best thing I've done for myself. This has got to work. I've got to make this work.

When do you know you're full? My stomach still makes a lot of noise while I eat, but the full feeling is so much different now and comes in with nausea! If I stop when the rumbling and shifting starts I would eat 3-4 bites a meal and that's not enough! I don't overeat everyday bc my meals are planned and pre-portioned. But given a choice to stop on my own I still do not know when to! This surgery def gets me fuller quicker and I'm eating less, but it changes the way "full" feels.... and I'm trying to learn to stop on my own. Afterwards, when I don't feel too great, I ask myself was it really worth it. Whats a good meal if you feel nauseous after? Any tips for stopping short when meals are not pre-portioned? How do you know when you've had enough AND before you feel bad? Eat to Live. Be Well.

I had a bmi of 34 when I had my surgery on May 1st. I had mine done in mexico. I was borderline high BP and sleep apnea. My family history is a lot of BP, cholesterol, diabetes and heart disease so I wanted to avoid that bc I knew it was coming. I was always small when I was younger. I got pregnant and gained almost 80 pounds. Two pregnancies later and like all of you I was the one avoiding pictures and if I had to be in one I was hiding. My husband is the only one who knows I've had the surgery. Everyone else seems to think I could do it in my own. I took adipex for 4 months and lost 50 Pounds. I felt great but the second I stopped taking it I gained it all plus some back. If I did even bring the subject up to any of my friends just to ask what they thought about the surgery I would hear you're not fat enough for that. Really? So I thought long and hard and made the decision to do it for me and my kids. I want to be healthier and happier. As far as everyone else thinks I am on a diet and taking adipex again to lose it. It's been a easier than expected recovery so far. I am on the all liquid phase now and I can only get 4-6 ounces down at a time. It's definately a change but I've already lost 12 pounds in 11 days. Good luck!

Sweating in the gym is a badge of hard work paying off! I used to sweat all the time, my friends would joke saying " would sweat while eating Ice cream in a freezer" hahaha sad thing I I think they would have been right. Now I only sweat while being physically active, in the gym, working in the yard or around the house. Normally now if it is 70 or below I am wearing sweats bc I am cold all the time now!

I'm watching this documentary on Netflix. I don't know how long its been on here, but its really interesting. It's about the obesity epidemic and childhood obesity. It's nicely put together. Definitely an interesting watch