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Up your Water intake and lower your calorie intake and you will loose that plus more in the 5 weeks. The first 10 lbs is all water weight.. and it is pretty easy to loose, its after you get to the 10% when it gets very very hard.. Good Luck i am sure you can do it!

When were you banded? What type of list do you have for restaurants? I love to eat out & that sounds like a great idea! I would love to have some ideas as to what is good to get while at a restaurant. I was banded 10/5. My 1st visit was 2 weeks later, I did not get or need a fill then. But I am needing one now. I have an appt on 11/5 & he said he wants to fill me then because of thanksgiving. He also wants me to come back in Dec to get one before Christmas.

<p>Post-Surgery Diet, Nutrition, and ExerciseAfter surgery, you will need a new nutrition plan. Discuss this in detail with your surgeon and/or dietitian as they can help you learn about and get used to the changes in lifestyle and eating habits you need to make.It is very important to follow the eating and drinking instructions starting right after the operation to allow the new stomach structure to heal completely and in the right position. This may take a month or more. It is also important, especially in the early weeks, not to stretch the small stomach pouch above the band. Vomiting can stretch it, so it is important not to vomit. Vomiting can increase the chance of stomach tissue slipping through the band. The First Few Days Post-Surgery Right after the operation you can take an occasional sip of Water or suck on an ice cube. You shouldn’t drink more than this. The day after the operation, you can take a little more Fluid but only a small amount at a time. Besides water, you should also choose Clear liquids that have an adequate number of calories. To prevent nausea and vomiting, do not drink too much. liquid Diet (1-2 weeks post-op)The goal during this early post-operative period is to protect the small stomach pouch. Only thin liquids can be tolerated at this time. It is also important to keep hydrated with lots of water. Other liquids recommended during this phase include:</p> clear broth or Soup (with no vegetables or meat and not creamy) skim milk & fruit juice no-sugar-added popsicles pureed Foods (3-4 weeks post-op)During this phase you may start having slightly textured foods. Aim for the consistency of baby foods. This will help you transition to more solid foods later. Because Protein is so important to help you maintain muscle while you are losing weight, eat protein-rich foods first, and then move on to fruits and vegetables. Foods in this stage may include: pureed skinless chicken or fish mashed potatoes peas low-fat yogurt or pudding In the first few weeks you may be able to eat foods that might not be allowed in your diet later as these foods may contain too many calories. It is more important in the first few weeks to let your stomach adjust to the LAP-BAND® System than it is to lose weight. Also, your timing and progression into each dietary phase may vary. In general, you should follow the advice of your surgeon and/or dietitian about nutrition. Soft Foods (5 weeks post-op) Your meals can now include tender cooked foods like fish and ground turkey. Now that you can chew, make it a habit to chew foods well. If you have dentures, be sure to cut your food into small pieces and chew it thoroughly. If you don’t follow these precautions, you may experience vomiting, stomach irritation and swelling. You could also have stoma obstruction. If solid foods cause nausea and vomiting,go back to the liquid diet you had earlier. Then you can slowly add soft foods and eventually transition to solid foods. Always ask for advice from your doctor or dietitian that is specific to your situation. Vomiting may increase the incidence of band slippage, stomach slippage, or stretching of the small stomach pouch above the band. Your New Nutrition Plan When you can eat solid foods without problems you will need to pay close attention to your diet. Liquids will pass through the reduced stomach pouch quickly and will not make you feel full. The LAP-BAND® System was designed to restrict solids, not liquids. Drinking liquids during or immediately after meals tends to flush food through the pouch and you will not get the prolonged feeling of satiety needed to help you eat less. Staying hydrated throughout the day is important. Drink at least 6-8 cups of water per day and make sure you consume them between meals.Many patients have a difficult time with solid foods during the morning hours. If this is the case for you, you can open up your LAP-BAND® System by starting with a couple of glasses of liquids before your first meal. Too much food or big chunks of food can block the stomach pouch outlet. You can avoid this problem by chewing food welland eating small bits at a time. It is important to remember that your new stoma opening is approximately the size of a dime. Chew your food adequately so that it can easily fit through the opening. Eat only three small meals a day and make sure that these meals contain adequate nutrients. Your stomach can only hold about1/4 cup of food or 2 oz. at a time. Stop eating when your hunger is gone or when you feel comfortable. You may find that the small stomach pouch makes digestion of high-Fiber, high-fat and dry foods more difficult. Tolerance will vary from person to person. Ask your surgeon and/or dietitian about your food choices. The general guide below can help you create good and healthy meals that contain adequate nutrients but little sugar and fat. Good Food Choices 1. Fruits and vegetables 1 to 2 servings of fresh fruit daily 2 to 3 servings of fresh vegetables daily 2. Breads and cereals 1 small portion of low-sugar cold or hot Cereal 1/2 to 1slice of toasted whole wheat or rye bread each day Note: some patients have difficulty eating bread 3. Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, 1 oz. to 2 oz. of meat, fish, or poultry or one egg each day. (Remove all visible fat from the meat. Remove the skin from poultry. Prepare the meat in ways that need very little fat. Grilling, steaming, microwaving, or boiling are all good ways to do this.) Note: some patients have difficulty eating meat 4. Dairy products Milk and yogurt are calories in liquid form. However, these types of food have Calcium, which makes them an important part of a healthy daily diet, so choose a maximum of 2 cups of skimmed milk or low-fat yogurt and 1 oz. of cheese a day.</p> <p> </p> <p> 5. Fats Restrict the use of fat to 3 to 4 teaspoons of margarine, butter, or oil per day. You can have low-fat salad dressings and mayonnaise in moderation 6. drinks Drink as many calorie-free liquids per day as you wish (though not with meals).Suitable drinks are tea or coffee (black) with low-calorie sweetener water non-carbonated beverages containing few or no calories Some doctors have reported that carbonated beverages may contribute to enlargement of the small pouch and recommend they be avoided. Foods to AvoidSome foods have a concentrated supply of calories with little nutritional value and should be avoided as much as possible. They include foods such as syrups cakes biscuits jam honey pies chips pastries Alcoholic drinks should also be consumed in moderation, for example a glass of wine per day. Common Problem Foods Some foods have difficulty passing through the opening of the stoma and may cause blockage. These include foods such as: dry meat shrimp untoasted or doughy bread Pasta rice Peanut Butter dried fruit fibrous vegetables like corn,asparagus and celery nuts coconut popcorn greasy or fried food seeds and skins of fruits and vegetables membrane of citrus fruits Introduce these foods slowly and individually to see if they are tolerated. Always be careful, chew well, and follow your surgeon’s or dietitian’s advice Exercise GuidelinesIncorporating regular physical activity into your daily routine is as important as your nutrition plan. Often patients have been sedentary due to decreased activity tolerance, psychological constraints, and in some cases, physical disabilities. After LAP-BAND® System surgery, aerobic activities—particularly walking and swimming—are generally best tolerated. Consult your surgeon and weight management team to find out which activity is right for you I got this info from obesityhelp.com I hope it is helpful to you I will be following this plan SC not yet banded

I had my group seminar on January 21st and I'm scheduled for April 22nd Surgery. Definitely doable! You just need to stay on top of your appointments. Be aware that the NUT may require two visits 30 days apart. That's the one thing I wasn't aware of and yet I made that my last appointment. I could have been done 2 weeks earlier.

Start easy! Get a beginner cookbook as suggested. I bought "How to Boil Water" for my absolutely unable to cook stepdaughter and she now cooks basic meals for her family. Another easy way to learn is by using a brand cookbook, though this is far less healthy as they'll rely on prepackaged, processed ingredients that might not fit your new lifestyle. If nobody taught you to cook, how can you call yourself a failure for not having immediate success in the kitchen? I'm self-taught baker and in the beginning I had SO many disasters and disappointments but as I continued to work at it I really did improve a lot. Now I'm good enough to sell my bread, Cookies and pastries to the local American community and I have to bake four days a week to keep up! Keep trying and don't be a quitter. Allrecipes is a great resource for recipes, too - just browse for simple dishes you'd like to make and go with the easiest recipes. Read recipes through TWICE before starting, too. You can do this! ~Cheri

I was lucky in that it has never really given me munchies...doesn't now. It was fine for me. I smoked it sometime around my second week post-op.

Hi, my name is Tony. I'm 25 and live in Tampa, my surgery is the 12th of Nov and I have 3 weeks of Optifast and I'm on day 6. It's difficult so I was wondering how sone of you got through it? I can't eat anything with it except jello and Popsicles (sugar free of course). This has been a long journey for me and I've come so far (25 Lbs lost) to fail so any help will help (obviously). And if anyone pre or post op is in the area let me know.

Because this is an elective process my short term will not cover it. Also, I only have saved a week as far as time off. Have any of you gone back to work after a week?

I have started the process of getting bariatric surgery. I am in month 2 of going to the nutrition meetings required by my insurance. I never really thought this would happen for me. I have been thinking of having the surgery in an abstract way for years. I always said that if I won the lottery I would do it in a heartbeat. I found out a month ago that my insurance covers the surgery if they find it medically necessary. I am type 2 diabetic, high blood pressure, higher than my doctor would like cholesterol, and I have extremely bad sciatica issues from a car accident when I was 14. It seems like every time I go to the doctor I get some new medication to add to the 13 pills I already take a day. I also have anxiety issues that I take medication for and I am currently trying to quit smoking. I know that is a lot to take one but I am a goal setter and a goal keeper. 5 years ago in 2009, I was depressed, I mean extremely depressed. My friend that I have known since I was 13 told me she worried that I was dead on the floor and my cats were eating my body. She was joking of course but, I didn't really talk to anyone for 6 months. I stopped wanting to leave my house, I had no motivation to take a bath, no motivation to do anything but lay on my couch and wish I was dead. I finally pin pointed the reason for my depression as I was stuck in a job I hated with no real way to get out because I had no high school diploma. I made a plan and a 5 year goal and a 10 year goal, I decided to get my GED at 35 and go to college. I bought books and started studying for the GED test. I came to a point where I knew I needed help because math is not my friend. I went to my local GED prep classes to get help. The process took a week to see where I was with my English and math skills. I kept taking test after test until I took the practice test and I was told that I could take the real test the following week. I passed my first try. I entered college in the fall of 2010. I will graduate next May with 2 degrees, I will graduate from the Honors Program at my school, I am a member of the Honors Society, and I have carried a 3.5 GPA the entire time I have been in school. That was my 5 year goal. To get my GED, go to college and get a degree, find a job with good insurance so I could try to get the surgery. I think I did well so far. LOL Anyway, the second phase of my ten year plan was to get into shape and get my health where it should be. I was diagnosed with diabetes at 33. Only because I had shingles for the second time in my life and I went in for a physical. Sorry this first post is so long but, I feel like if I get support now the next 7 months will fly by. I hope to have the surgery next summer. The point is that I make and keep goals. That is something I have been bad at most of my life but, I know that I must keep this goal in order to live a long and healthier life. It will also help with my favorite passtime of throwing pottery on the wheel. Its one of the talents I found while in school. I never knew I was talented or creative in anyway before I went to college and now I make beautiful art pieces with just my hands, some clay, and a kiln. It is my zen place, the one place where I am completely in the moment and not worrying about everything. It gives me peace. Now I found out that my insurance provided by my state through Medicaid expansion, because I am a poor college student that moved back in with my dad at 35 so I could concentrate on school. I do work, but I work for my school and it is part time so I get the Medicaid because I am poor. I always said if I had health insurance that covered it I would jump at the chance to get it. Well here is my chance and I am going full steam ahead with it. I will be attending my local support group that is part of the program I am working; I have been having a hard time with the exercise portion of the program though. I have long standing back issues and I really have to be careful what I do because I get this horrible burning pain that shoots down my leg sometimes just from normal walking. Plus I can't afford a gym membership right now. I did look into my local rec center and it seems they have pool exercise 3 times a week which I am going to try next week. I am not sure which surgery my surgeon will recommend for me but I am pretty sure I will ask for the bypass because of the remission of diabetes. I have been reading all about it in medical journals and I even tried to join the Cleveland Clinic study on the subject but I didn't have insurance before and they would not take me. I really am only worried about my health. I have seen what this obesity can do to a body from my mother who was 518 pounds at 53 and we had to put her into a nursing facility because she could no longer take care of herself anymore. Her story is sad, but it has a sort of happy ending in that, for her the surgery was a success and she is now living in an apartment on her own and able to take care of her own needs. Anyway, I am Naomi and I will be posting here. (If your read that whole thing I am really sorry, I tend to be long winded.)

I am Princess Naomi. I lost the book mark to this forum and I thought I had been here before but I could not remember my user name because it is not one that I have used before. I got approved for my surgery yesterday and I am from Cleveland. I will have my surgery on August 18 at UH Parma. I am nervous and excited at the same time. I feel like now it is real and I know it will happen for me. I am the kind of person that doesn't count her chickens until they hatch and they are in my basket. For months I have been telling myself that it may not happen and I kept telling myself not to get to excited because I might have to fight my insurance company to get approval. I didn't even have to make a peep let alone scream at anyone. My surgeon’s office called me at the end of June and said they were putting it through that week and gave me a possible surgery date of August 18. They said I needed to get one more record for them before they could submit to my insurance and asked me to get it ASAP. I went that day and requested it and I set in to wait and then have my surgery rescheduled because of delays that never happened. Now it just got real and I am scared, excited, and nervous all at the same time. I know I won't back out, but I now have allowed myself to begin to think about life after surgery and what that might be like. I look forward to the weight loss, but I am wondering if I will have any regrets later. I hope not because I am doing this. I want my health back and diabetes can suck it!! I worry about getting dumping syndrome, I worry about replacing clothes as I lose weight, I worry about loose skin, I worry if I will find anyone that doesn't mind my thinner and still imperfect body. I wonder if this will change the way I feel about myself. Will I like myself better or will I still deflect my body image issues with humor? What will I be if I am not the funny fat girl? Will people still like me? Will I like myself? How do you dress a body that is new to you? Will I have to wear Spanks under everything? Do they make Spanks sex lingerie? These are just a few of the thoughts running through lmy head right now. Aggggggg!!! PS Sorry for making 2 accounts. I am using Naomi H now.

Lol. I knOw. I'll enjoy the last 3 weeks .. Keep myself busy. I have a mini vacation this weekend so let's see

I notice if I drink more than three swallows of my protein shake I get a discomfort as it goes down. It a sensation that feels like gas build up and trying to get through is the best way to describe it. Has anyone else had this feeling and or is it normal and passes with continued healing. Thank you

Hi mrs jones I was baned on the 5th as well. I am so excited I lost 5 pounds and cant believe that ive lost 24 pounds in the last 3 weeks Good luck on your journey hun!!!

I am interested if you do something starting January 2017. I just had surgery 4 weeks ago and I'm not yet released for anything too strenuous. Had lapband surgery 10/12/16

I was sleeved on April 27, 2010. I knew it was going to be painful but wasn't prepared as to how painful it actually was. It's been 3 weeks now since surgery, I feel so much better. I want to loose about 40-50 lbs and have lost 17 so far but it is not coming off now like it was in the beginning. I was loosing a pound a day! Old clothes are fitting again and my blood sugar is great. Prior to surgery, I was averaging in the low 200's and since it has dropped from the 140's - 150's to as low as between 105 -110. I am simply estatic with this! My surgeon was Dr. Nick Nicholson, an excellent doctor and I can't thank him enough for this new lease on life. I want to figure out how to post the weight tracker I see everyone has but so far haven't found the instructions for this...

Hey Shirley. Good to see you're on track! I just popped over from the sleeve board to check up on you guys! I haven't had surgery yet but am approved and will be getting my date this week. I hope you keep on with the good work and keep on feeling great!!

Yeah, wow ... 4-6 weeks ... I don't know what I would have done with myself. Sleeved on Friday, back on Wednesday. I worked about 3/4 day for the rest of that week and full from there forward. I think it best to get back into the groove of life as soon as you are able to. Don't push too much, but at the same time, we all know what idle hands are ... :smile1:

I think I have this whole PB thing down pretty good now. I am at my sweet spot so I have to be particularly vigilant of what goes in, what time of day, etc. I tend to be tight in the morning and loosen up in the evening. I have found that often (especially eating out) my first two to three bites will get stuck and have to come back up and then everything if FINE after that. I think I have perfected the art of the non-barf PB....there is very little discomfort because I am very easy on myself and just let it kindof roll out as opposed to stomach contractions and "heaving". There is definitely a science to it.

Me too. I got the call last Friday. They want my Primary care dr to treat it. I'm seeing him Saturday but picked up some D in the meantime. I was diagnosed with D deficiency two years ago, too. The teatment is fairly simple... Prescription for a week or so and admonition to keep taking your vitamins. Also, sitting in the sunshine is supposed to help. I hope it's warm after my surgery. I plan to spend my recovery time reading on the deck and walking with my fat little dachshund (he needs some exercise, too).

I can remember when I got the call I was so excited as I had been turned down three times by my insurance company. Welcome to the forum learn all you can from past posts and stay in touch, hugs

I guess I'm a die hard stomach sleeper. Right after my surgery, I did sleep on my side (with a body pillow for support) for about 2 weeks. Since then I've been sleeping on my stomach without any problems. I don't feel my port, and it is located above my belly button (slightly to the right).

I've a sleever but we caffeine freaks all go through the same thing There's a lot of debate on the dehydration topic. My NUT warned of the same thing - that if you have caffeine you have to "replace" the water it's going to help you pass. I'll say this - I peed a helluva lot more and with more urgency when I was a caffeine junkie prior to surgery, so I don't think it's without merit. I did make the mistake of not cutting caffeine off sooner prior to surgery, so the fatigue right after surgery seemed a hundred times worse. After a few weeks my energy levels began to come back and now I feel back to normal. Mornings do seem a bit sluggish and harder to get going but it's gotten better as of late. I've tried to drink regular coffee and it hasn't agreed with me well since my sleeve. I can tolerate some now. When I make coffee I do about 25% regular coffee and 75% decaf. I've actually come to like not having to rely on caffeine so much. I just love my morning coffee. Btw...seems most doctor's require a sleep apnea test as part of the approval process so inquire about that. At least you can find out for sure if you do have it or not.

I've been reading a lot of the posts about the fear of having to cope without food. I completely understand. I was sleeved on 4/27 and I am now experiencing what people told me about but was hard to grasp until you are there. I forgot to eat twice today. I had to go buy a little digital buzzer to buzz at 3 hours. Can you imagine? Even as my food world is opening back up, I forgot to eat. My one NUT told me that from my profile that was her concern for me and I said "oh no, I'd never forget to eat". Well, she was right. It's not a good or bad thing, just very surprising to me. So I have started using my little timer. I very much enjoy what I eat even tho it's tiny little bites and amounts and all is going down pretty well even tho I do still have nausea, it's not horrible, just something to work through. So I've been thinking about what I might be able to share to sooth those pre very normal worries and I'd like to offer two thing: Turn off the TV in those first 2 weeks. The food commercials are not your friends. That was the only thing that drove me crazy. From 3 to 7 at night it's one food commercial after the next. There were times I felt like Pavlo's dogs, almost salivating. If you can separate yourself from the food you love, try to do so. If you are a Mom, see if friends could take them for dinner a night or two. Or if your partner will manage the food work. Not having those triggers would make it so much easier. And second, you may feel hungry in the first week or two. I did. I think it's somewhat natural. Some suggest you need more anti-acids. I called my office and they said to not increase any med, to just ride it out for at least 1 month before going to meds. I did and at 2 weeks I suddenly realized the hunger had passed. I still experience some hunger at appropriate times. But it's not all the time to the degree of making me worry the surgery had not worked for me. I read others who posted the the Ghrelin needs time to leave your body and for me, I think that was the case. You might want to ask your surgeon ahead of time what they would want you to do. But I'd ask that you not fear any sort of failure. For some of us it's just a part of the process. And a merry sleeve to use all!!!!

I was beginning to stress because I came out of the hospital and lost 20 lbs by my 2 week visit and then seemed to be stuck for 2 weeks. I would get on the scale and it would say 220.2 or 219.8 or something like that for two whole weeks. I wasn't too stressed because my 1X stretch pants seem to be about to fall off and I put on a pair of Medium stretch pants and they fit just right (although they are probably already stretched out from last I was able to wear them and gained weight - but of course the 1X is probably stretched out to 2X. And I've been able to move the seat of my car forward almost all the way and since I'm short it's made it a whole lot easier to reach the clutch. Well, imagine my surprise when I got up and got on the scale and it said 215.4. That's 25 lbs from the beginning of the 2 week preop diet to one month post-op on Wednesday. I guess it does pay to be patient and to keep going on the plan.

I am waiting on the call with my date! I told the nurse I didn't want surgery until around the 15th because I work in a school and we aren't out until the 6th, then my son's 18th birthday is the 10th, so didn't want to be laid up for that. You are only about 2 weeks away from yours. Are you havign to do any pre-op diet?