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Hi, My best friend is having lap band in the next month. I am very excited for her and support her decision. Mainly for her health and to be healthy for her family & me of course...haha to live for a long time. I never gave it any thought but recently I have been noticing stories where people who have surgery lose their friends. My best friend also has fear of losing weight changing her. Now I am terrified to lose her, I would be devestated.... it has taken so long to find that special friendship. I love her so much. I wanted to know if anyone has had similiar fears or advice to help me through her transition. Please be honest. Thank you so much for your time!!!

Hi there, I am 4 weeks 3 days out from surgery and I am on mushies at the moment, but am able to tolerate a fair bit which has me a little concerned! I am able to eat scrambled eggs no problem at all, and what I think, quite an amount, probably over half cup, and I am also eating mince o.k, and last night tried some chicken and mashed potato. I have eaten a peach (with no skin) and that was fine, and also when we were out and I was hungry, tolerated fine about 5 french fries. I am starting to worry that I am eating too much!.. Oh I can also drink quite a bit!! I have had soda with no problems, and juice but mainly stick to water!. Am I am going too fast, but it is causing me no problems!! Do I worry, is this eating pattern normal at this stage? I am still losing weight which is great though :-) !!

That's awesome! Congrats on the weight loss.

I guess every doctor is different, when I was post-op I ate sugar-free fudge pops, chewed a piece of steak but spit of the meat(excuse the descrip). I am 1 month post-op and my doctor put me on liquids two wks, mushies 1wk, soft foods now. but I eat the same foods that I ate before surgery, also cooked alittle different. My first fill is tues, so I figured that I'll eat what I can now (in moderations, low fat, smaller portions) I haven't gain any extra weight just maintaining the 20lbs losed so far..But my doctor doesn't stress the weight loss yet..because it's not about the loss..just the healing of the liver,stomach, body and mind.... So in my opinion(mine only) I believe that you should give into a craving (small portions) if not then you'll be more inclined to eat the whole portion of what your craving...ex: suck on a hersey kiss if you want a whole chocolate bar

I think you should try avoiding the scale for a while. I myself am batteling the scale temptation but i have noticed that when I weigh myself only once a week I see a drop in weight but when I weigh my self two or more times a week my weight fluctuates and that tends to discourage me! Good luck on your weight loss journey! Sent from my iPhone using LapBandTalk

Good job wisegirl i try to do the same just weight myself when i go for my monthly fill...keep up the good work...im loving my band!

I typed my responses in all caps so you can see them, not because I'm yelling at you. 1) I know its surgery.. I've never had one! (But I have had 2 kids and labor was painful) but what should I expect? Is the pain manageable? Is it mainly from the gas, incisions, stomach pain? I'VE HAD TWO SINUS SURGERIES, INCLUDING A DEVIATED SEPTUM, AND TWO C-SECTIONS, ONE WITH A PAINFUL ,OPEN INCISION FOR NEARLY 6 MOS. FOR ME, PART OF THIS WAS WORSE. THE SURGERY PAIN ITSELF WAS COMPLETELY MANAGEABLE, BUT I HAD EXCRUCIATING PAIN (THINK STABBING ICE PICKS) IN MY SHOULDERS FOR A GOOD WEEK AFTERWARDS. I HAD AN ON-Q PAIN PUMP IN THE HOSPITAL, WHICH LET OUT A CONTINUAL DOSE OF PAIN MEDS TO MY INCISIONS. THE IV PAIN MEDS MADE ME NAUSEOUS. I FELT MUCH BETTER WITH THE liquid LORTAB. HOWEVER, WITH EVERY 24 HOURS THAT PASSED, I NOTICED A HUGE IMPROVEMENT IN HOW I FELT OVERALL. FIRST 24 ARE THE WORST. 2) When were you able to go back to a "normal" routine? I have kids that are active in lots of sports and dance etc.. will I be able to take them? I HAVE A SIMILAR SITUATION WITH MY OLDEST SON PLUS A 19-MONTH OLD SON. I HAD SURGERY ON A MONDAY AND MY HUSBAND TOOK THE YOUNGEST TO THE BABYSITTER'S BEFORE WORK FOR ME THAT WEEK. BY THURSDAY, I WAS ABLE TO TAKE MY OLDEST TO SCHOOL AND SOCCER TRAINING, AND WE TRAVELED TO GAMES SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. FOR ME, IF IT WEREN'T FOR MY SHOULDER PAIN, I WOULD HAVE BEEN OK ON WEDNESDAY. YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE OFF OF PAIN MEDS BEFORE DRIVING. I COULDN'T LIFT MY YOUNGEST UNTIL I WAS NINE DAYS POST OP, SO I TAUGHT HIM HOW TO CLIMB INTO HIS CAR SEAT ON HIS OWN. ALSO, WHEN I DRIVE OR RIDE IN A CAR, MY DOCTOR SAID I HAVE TO GET OUT AND WALK AROUND EVERY 30 MINUTES TO HELP PREVENT BLOOD CLOTS FOR THE FIRST THREE WEEKS. 3) I have read people have the "post surgery blues" are you or were you upset you had the surgery? In pain? Lost your best friend (food) feeling? I DON'T HAVE THE POST-SURGERY BLUES PER SE, BUT A COUPLE OF TIMES, IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT NOT BEING ABLE TO EAT THE YUMMY SMELLING STUFF. FOR EXAMPLE, RIDING IN A CAR WITH A FRESH, HOT pizza OR GOING TO THE TACO SHOP AND PICKING UP dinner FOR THE FAMILY WHILE I ATE chicken broth. FOR ME, IT WAS EASIER TO RESIST THIS STUFF PRE-SURGERY BECAUSE i WAS SO EXCITED. POST SURGERY HAS BEEN A BIT HARDER, BUT STILL COMPLETELY DOABLE. THERE IS NO WAY I'M GOING TO EAT SOMETHING THAT MIGHT MAKE ME SICK RIGHT NOW. I'M ALREADY NAUSEOUS IN THE MORNINGS AND AT NIGHT (LIKE BEING PREGNANT) AND I DON'T WANT TO MAKE IT WORSE. 4) I was put on bed rest with my first child and on very strong meds that kept me to the bed.. so had a folley (so?) Catheter .. it was terrible, and had a terrible experience... so I hated it. Did you all have caths and how long were they kept in? (I know crazy fear..) I DIDN'T HAVE A CATHETER. HOPEFULLY, YOU WON'T EITHER! I DID HAVE A REALLY HARD TIME URINATING AFTER SURGERY THOUGH. I WOULD SIT THERE FOR 15 MINUTES SOMETIMES WAITING FOR IT TO COME OUT. 5) Now that you've lost weight, what are your friends like? Have they changed? I'M ONLY 14 DAYS POST OP, SO I HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED THIS YET. I ONLY TOLD A FEW PEOPLE BEFOREHAND, BUT THOSE THAT I DID TELL OR THAT I'VE TOLD POST OP HAVE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE.

Was sleeved 8/23. At first I didn't do anything but walking & a few different stretches. At the end of 3 weeks my doctor told me I could go back to the gym & do whatever I felt like I could handle on the bike or elliptical but he told me to take it easy on the weights - if I couldn't do 30 reps then the weight was too high. The next week I went up in weight & down to 20 reps & now I am back to my regular routine (3 days lifting to build muscle & 2 days to burn fat + 9-12 mile/day on a bike). Crunches were a little hard at first but didn't have any issues with anything else.

I was sleeved on May 30th and have been in a stall for almost four weeks! I was taking it pretty well for the first 3 weeks but now I am frustrated and concerned and disgusted and angry. I am trying to be more patient and I know the weight will come off eventually. It is just a frustrating thing to see no movement in the scale for so long!

Yes I agree. Thanks Ben how do I get to your blog? I hate liquids so if I don't have to that would be great! I haven't lost weight for awhile and had a week stall then lost one pound in June now this:(

does anyone else on here feel "safe" with their band on...dont get me wrong i know u can gain weight back if u dont follow the rules....but i have this feeling of "safety" with my band...i'm sitting here eating a 1/2 cup of refried beans with some ground turkey mixed in it...and i know i cant eat more than this 1/2 cup...i feel safe from over-eating...

Nope no fills yet and I was banded 5/14/10. I'm scheduled for the first one on 6/29 and I think that's 6weeks postop which seems to be standard. My doctor was going to push for 5 weeks but I will be out of town the following weekend and I didn't want to risk complications when I'm in a different state. I've been losing weight post op but that comes with some effort. I don't think I need a lot at my first fill for it to help me along.

Hey! So sorry you are having such problems! PB is "productive burp"... I have it quite often. I hope all goes well with your check. I am ready for my third fill, but I have such a full schedule this month that I am going to have to wait a while. I still have restriction, but I have slowed down in my weight loss.. I was losing 1 to 1-1/2 pound a week, but the scale didn't move for 3 weeks.. and then only 1 pound.. but hang in there! Don't give up yet! We'll get there together! God Bless!

Sorry to hear about your unfortunate time. Teisha, don't let it scare you. I could have gone back in four days easy, I took ten off because I get paid 100% of my salary while I'm off so why not take time and rest up. I took pain med the first night and was off of them by the next day. I slept in a recliner the first three nights, laying down HURT!! Other than that my experience was a breeze! Everyone has a unique experience, I hope yours is as good as mine was and not as terrible as Rosy's. Good luck Rosy, I hope that things get better for you soon and that the weight continues to fall off. 28 pounds is wonderful!

I am about to go in next Monday with another month or 4 weeks of no weight loss. I have weighed the same since November 1st. I am scared that this is it. I cannot do this on my own. I have proven this over and over. I am craving sweets and am taking bites here and there and I know my dumb mind is letting me because I am NOT losing. this is my pattern. I will probably start to actually gain and will not stop until I do. I need SOMETHING to get started again. I exercise and walk just about every single day. Help, help help...

I want to know, too! I'm in preop right now and am going crazy with that dumb scale. I swear it is broken! It has sat on the same number for like 6 days now! I check my weight every morning and well, like I said, I'm going nuts!

Definitely avoid comparing yourself to others and even consider staying off the scale altogether. If you stick to your plan, meet your water and protein targets, take your vitamins, and move as much as possible, you WILL lose the weight!

Great advice. I totally agree, I still see a clinician as I use food to cope with stress. This ongoing support has really help me recognize when I'm emotionally eating. I truly see counseling as a vital part of my journey and success to weight loss. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Who are you insured by that your rates are going to $5000? That seems rediculous. I think your dr. could say he supervised different weight loss trials for you. Mine certainly has done run of the mill ones with me, but then they aren't requiring that of me. I think my dr. wants this done as soon as possible because of my health. Good luck to you. I'm not sure what you are requesting, but hopefully someone will help you out. I had the misfortune when I lived somewhere else of being on phentermine (before Phen-fen cam out) but it is just as destructive. It is what caused serious heart problems that required extensive surgery. I have also been supervised on Meridia...didn't help at all. Best of luck to you.

Yesss i am like overly careful to not swallow I even pay attention to how long i am chewing to make sure I don’t accidentally swallow. Other then being over feeling like a new born drinking all day, i feel wonderful! I am back to work a week later (i work in an office) i am getting all my fluids down, 2 - 2 1/2 protein shakes a day. The glue from one of my incisions came off on its own today, they are a bit itchy from healing but they look great. I am on the meds for my gallbladder and something for gas reflux that i take in my morning.’y surgeon recommended I take my baroatric daily vitamin in the morning with my meds but that did not work out in my favor. I noticed i got somewhat dizzy and nauseous that i had to lay down and realized i could not take that all at once so I’ve began taking my multiV at lunch and switching to taking my calcium mid morning. So far everything has been great and i am shedding weight very easily!

Well I have tried valiantly and still showed a nice GAIN when I got on the scale this morning! I have tried very hard this week to UP the protein! I am having a MEGA protein shake in the morning that has 42g in it. I have eaten snacks of meat, some 20g protein bars I bought(no more than one a day) and a few nuts here and there. This does not seem to be working either! Darn. What is going to? I am not happy to go in there tomorrow and have yet again gained. I will be put in the "bad" category, what am I eating too much,etc. etc. Believe me, I do not even eat BREAD! I have exercised an HOUR yesterday and my usual 30 min walk outside today. What a glorious day it was here too. Protein and food have been good. But I can still eat too much. I ate a big salad out yesterday and I realized I was able to eat the entire thing with no problem. It had lots of protein on it which is why I ate it and tried to eat all the meat especially. But I just should NOT be able to eat that much! Well I am on my 11 month checkup, and NO restriction. Hmmmm...... I just cannot get this gaining STOPPED! man o man. I have found a new friend to talk to though. She is not far along on her LB journey and is doing well. She is trying to help and I SURE do not want to bring her down! She does not need that. I will go back to a support group with her maybe. Gotta keep trying something. Well bloggie, please help me to be calm tomorrow. Please do not let me get too upset by my gaining. I know it has happened. I am really trying hard. I am going to try to get to my ZEN place again before I go in there. These appts. are just very traumatic! I want to go in there and be HAPPY because I have LOST! Oh well.....I will see how it goes. Am dreading it....

Well I have tried valiantly and still showed a nice GAIN when I got on the scale this morning! I have tried very hard this week to UP the protein! I am having a MEGA protein shake in the morning that has 42g in it. I have eaten snacks of meat, some 20g protein bars I bought(no more than one a day) and a few nuts here and there. This does not seem to be working either! Darn. What is going to? I am not happy to go in there tomorrow and have yet again gained. I will be put in the "bad" category, what am I eating too much,etc. etc. Believe me, I do not even eat BREAD! I have exercised an HOUR yesterday and my usual 30 min walk outside today. What a glorious day it was here too. Protein and food have been good. But I can still eat too much. I ate a big salad out yesterday and I realized I was able to eat the entire thing with no problem. It had lots of protein on it which is why I ate it and tried to eat all the meat especially. But I just should NOT be able to eat that much! Well I am on my 11 month checkup, and NO restriction. Hmmmm...... I just cannot get this gaining STOPPED! man o man. I have found a new friend to talk to though. She is not far along on her LB journey and is doing well. She is trying to help and I SURE do not want to bring her down! She does not need that. I will go back to a support group with her maybe. Gotta keep trying something. Well bloggie, please help me to be calm tomorrow. Please do not let me get too upset by my gaining. I know it has happened. I am really trying hard. I am going to try to get to my ZEN place again before I go in there. These appts. are just very traumatic! I want to go in there and be HAPPY because I have LOST! Oh well.....I will see how it goes. Am dreading it.... :biggrin:

I had the same issue. I spoke to my NUT and she told me to increase my carbs. I added cooked veggies and basically stopped worrying about my carb intake. It TOTALLY worked for me. About 2 days later I felt like I was *back*. We had 85% of our stomach removed. We will lose weight. Add some carbs back and see how your energy levels change. Can't hurt to try.

If you are still on mushies, I'd just finish healing before going to a diet such as Atkins. The first 6 weeks are for healing. I lost weight the first week post op. Then weeks 2-4 nothing. Sure I was frustrated but I wasn't eating enough calories during my healing. Week 5 I finally got up above 1100 calories and I started losing again. If you want to try it try upping your calories. Some people don't lose if they eAt to little