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Hi Tammy, Feb 20 was my VSG. Most days I get all of my protein in. Water is more challenging, not b/c I can't drink it but b/c I never drank 64 oz a day before surgery. I have tolerated all the foods I've tried so far. Weight loss has been slow and steady and I eat 2-4 oz usually at meals. I have been working on eating slower, my challenge there is it has reduced my intake by about 150-200 cals. So my quandary is do I eat at my own pace and risk eating too fast or eat slow (2 min btwn bites) and get in around 500 cals vs. my previous average of 700 calories. I'd love to hear people's thoughts.

I haven't gotten my lap band yet, but I'm planning to sometime in June. Because I know it's right around the corner, I have been eating like a crazy person!! I swear I have a bottomless pit, which brought me to need lap band in the first place, but I also eat tons of fast food and all kinds of other awful, yet very tasty, foods. I know this is so bad of me...I need to be preparing myself to cut way back, but instead I'm eating even more because I know I won't be able to later. Also, I've actually GAINED weight because I know during the liquid diet I will lose it all and with the lap band I will lose even more so it's like I'm having a major binge...that's never ending!! I am screwed up in the head!! Did anyone else go through this before you got your lap band or am I the only one who's jacked up???

Think you have put your finger on it - you are probably eating too fast and possibly too much. Try taking it a bit more slowly and pause as you drink to let the liquid get down and things should improve. Good luck :-))))

@@Olivia12215 I can understand your frustration. I started at a higher BMI. I thought I would be down 50lb by now. I am not losing as fast as I hoped. Still I am losing, and more than that, I am not gaining. I don't feel deprived, I am not living with constant hunger and I lost in 6 weeks what you have taken me 4-6 months in the past. Currently I am sitting at a weight I haven't been able to get below in 10 years of trying off and on. I am just hovering in this area for 2 weeks. Right now I feel like if I don't get below this point soon, the whole thing is a failure. Even though I know mentally that isn't realistic, that is how I feel. That doesn't really help you, but I just want to say I understand being frustrated.

I crush them and mix it with a bit of water. Swallo as fast as you can and chase it down with a little Diet Cranberry juice! Good luck!

Week 5 has been rough. Dealing with the worst constipation of my life. Haven't lost weight. The reality that this is permanent is really setting in now. I am still basically on liquids because I can't chew with these turbo things the dentist put on my teeth when I got my braces, to keep my bite open. It is hard to be out running errands and see all of these fast-food restaurants and realize, I can never eat there again. I had been out running errands for several hours yesterday with nothing to eat. I had to get gas and when I went into the convenience store I was lucky enough to find a muscle milk protein drink. I was kind of proud of my purchase as I thought of how easy it was to pass up junk food. Small wins really help. Sent from my SM-G930V using BariatricPal mobile app

I lost over 100lbs with the band. I was 257 went down to 149 then I had a tummy tuck and one year later was pregnant (good planning right) I weighed 166 at 8 weeks pregnant. My band was loosened a about 1/2 way at 2 months pregnant. I was gaining weight really rapidly so I asked my doctor to put more back in. I was partially restricted for most of the pregnancy but still gaining weight at above the recommened amount. I was completely unfilled last week due to bad, bad heartburn and even thought that is helping me I am hungry all the time and gaining weight really fast - I am now 33 weeks and am up to 212! I am totally freaked that after all this hard work I will never be able to lose the weight again and that I will gain even MORE in the next 1 1/2 until I have the baby. Any tips/ideas/support? Thanks in advance!

Awesome! Rock your sleeve! I got on the WiiFit a week after surgery and it yelled at me. Said I made my goal BUT the deadline had already past so I'd need to set a new goal; tsk tsk on me. Then I got on it a week later and it told me I am losing weight too fast which is dangerous. Then I learned it asks other users in the household (namely the boyfriend) how my sleeping habits are ("Is she getting too much sleep? Too little sleep?"). The WiiFit is a backstabber! I won't let it take away from my successes Glad you're doing so well with it, though.

I had a glucose tolerance test a couple years ago and scored one point (lol, like a sports game) above the borderline diabetic line. 120-something. I don't remember. When I had my appointment the other day and just had a finger prick in the office (not fasting, but hadn't eaten in about 4 hours), it was like 82.

When I had my surgery 5 months ago th e doctor said I had lots of gallstones and he wanted to do surgery after I lost 150#. I have never had problems from the gallstones-that I know of. Today I started having pain in the upper left side of my abdomin-towards the middle. There is slight nausea. the pain is not excruciating-but it is constant and bothersome. Could this be gallstones? or maybe gas? I had an angiogram and they said my heart was great so I don't think it's that. It started before my first meal today-so it's not from eating too much or too fast. I ate a small amount and it didn't affect it one way or another. It's Friday afternoon here so I hate to bother my doctor or surgeon at home if it's nothing. Any ideas or suggestions?

I just wanted to report that my hair IS growing back! Whew! I was banded June 2012 Started losing hair Sept 2012 A LOT of hair fell out from sept-Nov 2012 *When I say falling out I mean, cleaning hair brush every day, scooping out clumps of hair from shower every day, hair all over sink and bathroom floor, hair all over my clothes and pillow, hair on my car seat, hair on the floor all over the house, and 20-30 strands every time I ran my fingers through my hair. Just all kinds of hair everywhere. All of these things, every day. Normal hair loss would be a strand here and there, clean brush weekly, a tiny bit in the drain, maybe. For me, the WLS hairloss was easily 20 times the normal hair loss. 1've been having normal hair loss since Deccember. Feb 2013 I can see hundreds of new hairs, that stand about 1/2 to 1 inch high all over my head. Sometimes it looks funny, sometimes it acts like a root lifter by making my hair poof at the scalp. It is the same color as the rest of my hair. I started taking bioten in October, but I do not believe it has had any real effect in terms of how fast my hair is growing. Also, since the same thing happened after I gave birth to each of my kiddos, and I was not taking bioten then, I'm concluding that the hair loss/regrowth cycle has simply run it's course. I hope this encourages any of you who may be concerned about your own hair loss. I think it's somewhat common, it does eventually stop falling out and start growing back. Bioten probalby helps some, but not everyone, but appears to have no ill side effects (but don't rely on me for medical advice, ask your doctor).

Breakfast: scramble egg beaters, oatmeal, 1% cottage cheese with friut, Yougurt mixed with friut total. flakes.even a little cottage cheese is great for Breakfast and has lots of protein! egg sandwich: ...............................Thin pancakes: 2 (or 1 after fill) 40 cal toast ..........lowest cal just add Water 1/4 cup egg beater .......................but make them thinnnn dash parmasan cheese ...................very little sugar free syrup ..................................................1/4 cup egg beaters for ..............................................scrambles eggs lunch and dinner: sunkist has packs of tuna that are flavored. my favorite is sweet and spicy made into a sandwich. Salmon is easy to cook and fast. Vital Choice has them on line. I try to eat high Protein lunch. chicken, tuna, fish, quail, lean cuisine and healthy choice have ok choices in calories and protein if in a hurry. hope this helps!!!!!

To answer the question above, my doctor required that I lose 10% of my body weight prior to surgery - he requires that of all of his patients. For me, that was 28.5 lbs. I wanted to get the surgery as fast as possible so I did the most strict version of his pre-op diet in order to shed pounds fast and get my surgery scheduled. The options he gave me were to have three slim-fasts a day plus all the vegetables I wanted or to have an extremely strict diet of plain chicken or fish, vegetables, nonfat dairy and a fruit a day. Everybody is different but for me, it was easier to just not deal with food and to stick to the slim-fast diet (I ate a few vegetables but not many - I drank either three or four slim-fasts a day and then every three or four days I'd have a very small regular meal). My doctor told me that very quick weight loss - preferably from a mostly liquid diet - would get the liver to shed fat the fastest and make the surgery easier and safer. When I went in for a pre-surgery weight check, I had lost so much weight so quickly that he moved my surgery up two weeks. I hadn't quite lost all of the 10% of my total weight he had originally told me but he said since I'd lost it so quickly and stuck to mainly liquids that he'd go ahead and operate earlier. So that's why I had six weeks of liquids. For me - and everyone is different - it was too difficult to stick to the strict diet. It was easier for me to stick to the liquids. And I wanted to surgery to happen as quickly as possible. I'm self-pay so I didn't have to wait for insurance approval.

My big day is this Wednesday and I have not been able to fast. It's been really hard for me and I will tomorrow to prepare for surgery but I hope I'm not hurting myself? I did shakes in the morning and a meal at night, any feed back??

Yes! I had one 3 weeks ago and I am so happy I did it! It is worth every penny as well as the pain and for me itching. I cannot wait to have my next body contouring surgery. My arms look 20 years younger and are well contoured. You can even see my cute little biceps that I knew was under there but never thought i would see them again. I was interviewing plastic surgeons and absolutely fell in love with mine. I met her on Monday and was in surgery Thursday morning! I was scared I was moving so fast but I definately don't regret it. Now I have to wait 3 months for the next procedure.

Horsegirl315 , I'm nervous for you girl, I'll be praying for an easy and fast recovery. Please keep us post it ok.

At age 19, I would eat out of boredom. I had tried every possible weight loss program out there and nothing worked. Maybe because I didn’t stick with it long enough to see results. Having surgery to place the LapBand inside my body was a huge decision. My family stood behind me the entire way, in fact my parents paid for me to have it done. Seeing the doctor was a tragic moment. I was warned that he would try to break me down, try to make me cry… This is a way of showing how strong a person is, if they are emotionally stable to go through with this surgery, for my entire life would be different afterwards. I was prepared for the visit with the doctor, mentally and emotionally. My sister went to the appointment with me. He asked me, “Why do you want to get the LapBand?” My response, “Because I need to lose weight, I have tried everything and nothing seems to work. I’m afraid that I will die at a young age. I have already had some pre-cancer scares, from a sun mark and in my female reproductive system.” His comeback, “Well I could lose a few pounds myself.” Then my sister spoke up, “I don’t want my sister to die.” I started balling. The next stage in the process of getting the LapBand was seeing my healthcare provider for an in depth physical examination and a physiatrist. The ten days before the surgery was yet another test to see how capable I was of receiving the LapBand. Ten day liquid diet! Nothing but beef broth, protein drinks, and water for ten days. After day five, I just didn’t feel hungry anymore. I lost 12 pounds in those ten days. Sitting in the hospital bed waiting to go into surgery with my mom and best friend, I realized that my life was going to be completely different when I woke up. I was going to be sore. I was going to have to learn how to eat all over again. I have had the band for going on 5 years now. Last July, it slipped and I had to have emergency surgery to correct the band. It was horrible and painful while it was slipping (took about 3 months to fully slip, and I had no idea why I wasn’t feeling good). Once the band was fixed I felt 110% better. However, I gained nearly 3/4 of the weight back that I had lost; mind you I had been at a stable weight for 3 years! Now, the band is working correctly again and I’m starting to lose weight again. I do get sick if I eat too much or eat too fast or let myself get too hungry, and I throw up (sometimes more than once in a sitting). With all that being said, I would do the LapBand ten times over again. It has some issues, but I really feel like it is mind over matter. You know what you can and cannot eat, and the amounts of foods you area able to handle. Once I get back to a steady weight again (hopefully sooner than later!) I plan on getting extra skin removed and a breast lift.

So does anyone else have to do the liquid diet for 3 WEEKS... I am 5'4 260 I had to do the 6 month weight monitoring and my starting weight was 290. I loss 30lbs I'm so pumped to get this started but so stressed out with 3 weeks of shakes. I honestly don't know if I can even stomach the shakes. In the past I have tried slim fast and body by vi. I never was even able to drink one. Maybe since I'm focused I can just do it. I have 3 children but great family, my sister lives with me with her daughter and my mother and uncle live directly across the street so I plan on staying clear of everyone till I know lose my mind and my family is understand and going to step in. So I know I just gave you guys the run down of my thinking so do you guys have any suggestions for me.? Stomach the shakes. Am I just too focus on this whole shake thing and working my self up... Help I start Thursday for a surgery date of March 14th

i'm so excited my insurance approved my surgery. My information was submitted to them on Friday and I have a decision back today YEAH!! that was fast. Now i'm waiting for the Dr. Office to call to let me know the date for surgery and any pre op testing that i have to do. I know now this is really going to happen. PHEW what a relief.

The woman that died from drinking water for the radio contest did so b/c she drank it extremly fast. Someplace, somewhere I read that 1 oz. per every ounce of your weight is what one should be drinking...at my highest weight, I would have drowned...:thumbdown:

im one of the...i just needed to lose...like 60...225 start to 187 now....yes...i tell myself now..why..cuz this is hard.....seems like im losing fast....im scared to eat...dont own a scale..cuz i dont want to obsess...over gaining losing....its weird

Okay gang, I have another "ism" of mine..... (1) I read this EVIL Blog on WLS and how crappy it was. This person claims to be a "medical researcher" (on her own time) and is of the opinion that any WLS is waste of time, obese people are not THAT unhealthy. This person post some of the most disgusting pictures of the "after" surgery pictures. She even goes so far as to IMPLY that one of her freinds died of cancer because of WLS. I call it evil because the information in it started to eat at my resolve to make a change in my health/life style. I hate negative bastards like that. AND..... A co worker has had the bypass surgey and has lost A LOT of weight. Now me and this person dislike each other but I can understand why he had this surgery. I told him that he looked much better but I refused to pry into his very personal choice about getting this done. Well, all the hatefull have come out of the wood work and are complaining that "he looks like he's dying" or "he lost the weight to fast" and "what will he do with all the exess skin". He DOES look "ill" for lack of a better word but I hept that to myself since he has enough on his mind without people making comment about his apperance. This is the exACT REASON I'll never tell others at work about any WLS I'm considering... let them eat cake......

Glad to hear you are feeling better today. You will make lots of progress every day for these first few days. It's amazing how quickly your body can bounce back. Just make sure you take everything very slowly and don't push yourself too hard too fast.

Bariatric surgery should be compared to being pregnant!!! 1. My taste have changed not a good or bad thing 2. My belly feels like 80pounds 3. My moods are here and there 4. My cravings are outrageous 5. The worst is smells, they make me sooo nauseous Thought I'd put up how I have felt today bc it's been a trip of gas more gas and nausea. I didn't do anything out of ordinary but walk two times around the house and sip sip sip which I could have done to fast. Happy weekend y'all!!!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

So I'm 1week post-op... I have been doing really great!!!:-) heeling fast and amazingly great! went on clear liquid diet 3days post-op than full liquid on the 4th day but didn't ever find that fullfilness in that so I called and my nurse told me to switch straight up to purees see if I tolerate it... WHICH I DID!!!:-) unlike some other ppl I NEVER experienced pain or nausea eTibg or at any time post-op. I also ate what was recommended and keep it down without a problem. I even tried 6days post-op hard food and had salmon with salads!:-) yet AGAIN no pain, no nausea...! So I was happy!:-) thought I was on great track healing pretty fast and without complications...until Today I went for my 1st 1week post-op apointement... I lost 12lbs in 2weeks (both including pre and post-op) my surgeon was happy but when I said I was on puree fast and was about to mention proudly I even had started hard food when he started yelling at me!!! telling me: " NO NO NO who did u talk to??!! I WANT U TO LOSE WEIGHT AND U NEED TO STAY ON LIQUID DIET!!!! DONT DO THAT AGAIN AND DON'T PUSH UR LUCK!!!!" I felt so lost and confused and terribly imberresed like a child being reprimanded!!!:-( Than he told me to keep walking and to see him again in a month for my 1st filling!!!0_O I couldn't believe it and didn't understand none of all this!! Honestly I am glad I did the surgery!!! Couldn't be any happier and glad it went smoothly but HONNESTLY regret doing it there!!!:-( The customer service IS HORRIBLE!!! they never take the time for u and never gladly take a one on one apt to make sure all is clear and explained to me!!! I found out much more before and after surgery through this forum than with my surgeon!!!:-( and for $13,000 out of MY pocket it really sucks!! Every time I call to ask questions everyone treats me like I am a child and keep telling me to " RELAX CALM DOWN EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE!!!" like if I was a damn child!!!!! Well now I dont understand the whole deal of keeping on the full diet for 2more weeks when I thought this whole process was just to help u heal...!!!! But WHAT IF IM OK AND HEALING GOOD!!!! I know I have to lose weight but it'll happen at it's paith like it already is weather I'm eating hard food or liquid!!! It's funny how well they can BUTTER U UP to pay up to get the surgery than once done... U just become a number rAther than a patient!!:-( im really Sid and don't know what to do! I dobt feel like following my doctor's advise cause he really pissed me off and to me really made NO SENS!!! I have one month before my next meeting for my filing (which I'm really getting very nervous about)... I don't feel comfortable with my surgeon or the place yet I am forced to stay cause all my feelings and emergency interventions are included in that price which I dont wanna pay more somewhere else!! Idk what to do...:-( I thought I was doing so great and now he really bumped me out yelling at me like this!!!:-( At what point am I concedered OK to eat hard food? When can I start working out a lil more intensive than just and ONLY walk/power walk...??!!! What should I expect with the 1st filling?? Pain? Nausea? Right now I'm able to eat about 1 1/2 of my fist... It's not 4oz or 1cup but DEFINITLY 10000X LESS than what I used to eat per meal before the band!!!:-) I'm watching what I eat and only "cheated" twice very little with 1tiny peace of chocolate once and 6small fried calamari when out once with hubby!!! Yet seems I'm STILL loosing...!!!! UUUURRRGGHHH ALL THIS IS JUST SO FRUSTRATING!!! what should have been a HAPPY check up turned out to bump me out and confuse me even more!!!:-( Sorry this post was so long...I just needed to vent!!:-( Thanks a million for reading!! XoXo