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@@newlifeb I am so sorry to hear of your pain, I have 10 days to go my surgery is scheduled for the 17th. I'm so new at this I have no advice to give.. Did you do everything you were supposed to, drinking your clear liquids? How's that working for you now, are you holding anything down or vomiting at all?

I'm feeling good now. I lost 20 lbs originally, but now my body is in the dreaded 3-week stall. The Japanese docs insist on a slightly longer post-op diet--two weeks of thin liquids followed by two of thicker. Currently, I'm drinking fruit/yogurt smoothies for Breakfast and lunch, and blender-processed Soup or curry for dinner. The smoothies can be bought at local convenience stores, and I supplement them with whey Protein. I'll be really happy when I'm allowed to eat soft solids again in 10 days. As for exercise, my NUT is really insisting on anaerobic exercise, not walking or biking. He's prescribed me a testosterone infused lipid blocker (called Lipokine), and in a couple weeks, he wants to start testosterone steroid injections. He really wants me to pick up as much muscle as I can while I shed weight .The idea is that he doesn't want me looking like a normal guy wearing a big suit of flappy skin (and I don't want that either). So, long story short, yes, I'm able to do weightlifting, but only as long as I focus on back/biceps, chest/triceps, and legs/shoulders. No abdominal exercises yet, and if anything is remotely painful for my stomach, I'm supposed to stop doing that right away. I used to live in Stuttgart when I was younger, so I know what you're talking about. It's been strange living in Japan for the past 8 years, always being (as you say) the fattest person in the room. The nice thing about being a foreigner in Japan, however, is that no matter what, you're always going to be the strangest person in the room simply because you're not Japanese. Being fat in Japan is like having a slightly more ridiculous clown nose to go with the rest of the clown outfit that all foreigners are imagined to wear. Japanese people aren't too shy to point out the fact that I weigh too much--they commonly ask my weight and openly wonder if American food did this too me--but they don't do it judgmentally at all. They seem to like the distinctiveness that I bring into their ordinary world. I had an attractive Japanese gf for a year who loved my body shape. Most of my friends here are fellow foreigners, from the US, Aus, GB or Canada. However, I have few Japanese friends too. I'd have more J-friends, but I'm not all that social and am rarely interested in the things they're typically interested in, e.g. Japanese pop-music, television, baseball or soccer.

I am 10 days Post Op. I have lost 18 pounds. I was told to continue on thickened liquids and Protein drinks. I cannot drink the Protein Drinks and dont like any of the thickened liquids...Can anyone give me some advice. Thanks Monica

I'm also being banded March 10. The only liguid I have been having any luck with choking down is ISOPURE. I get it online from GNC. Each bottle has 40g of protein and some of the flavors taste pretty good. Good luck.

Hi There, I live in Southern Calif. too... I see my primary tomorrow and my insurance has a list of specialists also. I pray they are good ones to chose from. I was given Dr. Fobi's name from a girl at the grocery store. She had gastric bypass. Unsure if I want to do that... I've heard great success stories about lap band procedure. I'm Type II and on Lantus now. It has made me gain over 10 pounds since April. I can't wear my "skinny" jeans anymore. I'm 5'4 and 230 lbs. as of this morning. Very small on the bottom and I can wear 14W or 16W, but the top portion of my body is 2x or 20W. What made you decide on lap band? I don't eat a lot during the day or night, but I believe my Type II and now taking insulin has made my body resistant to losing 60 lbs. I'm frustrated. I've been thinking about WLS for years now. Plan to talk to my primary tomorrow. This will probably be the most important visit I've ever had with her.

My experience, and this is mines and no one else so, take this information at your own risk. First time I had a drink of alcohol was literally 10 days post surgery. It was new years eve and I had like two sips of super cheap champagne and I was very tipsy right away. I didn't have another drink of alcohol of any kind until a good year after that event. What I have noticed that with drinking is that it does depend on the drink that I am consuming and I can go from tipsy, to buzzed very quickly depending on the drink and strength of said drink. Shots (tequila, rum, and whiskey) are indeed one shot and done sort of drinks for me now. If I go beyond one of those, which I think the most I have had so far almost two years out of surgery was 3 shots in one evening within a 15 minute span of consuming all three shots, and I was very buzzed (lightly drunk). It took about an half and hour to an hours for that buzz to go away where I could feel "normal" again. What I have learned is that if I pace myself, usually only stick to one or two drinks max (on the hard stuff listed above), and sip them very slowly and moderately, that I can be alright. But again a mixed drink will now last me damn near an entire night vs pre surgery I could have K.O'ed quite a few of them before even feeling remotely buzzed let alone intoxicated. I personally don't like the get buzzed "high" quick feeling that drinking gives me especially if I am out at like a bar/public environment vs at home or at a trusted friends home. When I am out, I will stick to drinks like hard ciders or dare I say a Mike's Hard Lemonades sort of drink. Beer I really don't drink much of anymore and when I do its usually a stout and again only 1 now. Stouts tend to be heavier beers than your light lagers, and with more yeast and hops makes for a more fuller tummy experience. Wine, I just had recently for the first time in years, it was a dry red wine and it did have a bit of the buzzy feeling to it but it was like 4oz and it took me a good 30 minutes to consume it. Tequila, especially patron, 1 and done. I know if I go beyond that then I'll be in some troubles. Now I will be two years post op this Dec, and I can say that in the time post surgery I can still say that I have had less than 10 drinks in that time frame. I know how drinking for some of us can be a slippery slop to leading towards unwanted addictions and coping mechanisms. I get that, and I think its why I choose to wait so long to attempt to drink anything post surgery, especially after the NYE thing. But it is something that I have learned to enjoy, just on very special occasions and in the right situations.

12 years out. I had several blood transfusions after my WLS so I had big regrets. The issue was that I replaced food with alcohol (was not a drinker prior to WLS) 3 years ago I got my sh*t together and got serious about supplements and started Keto. I am now at a healthy weight 145 and plan to eventually get back down to my lowest weight (135) which was pre covid. I gained 10 pounds when the lockdown started. I don't regret the surgery as much now as most if not all the issues I had were avoidable and just really my fault for not following the post op way of life.

I had incisional pain in the first two days, then I had stomach pain like cramps or something like this till day #9. So I would say 10 days to two weeks then you will be pain free.

I have my surgery on 10/1. I just started my prep diet this morning. I've already made my basic clothing selections based on the weather forecast for Mexico. I'm just flat excited to get this journey underway!!!!!!!!!!

At GNC you can buy just 1 of each flavor in their refrigerator section, or by 4 pack or case. I started out with 1 of each flavor & quickly went back for more. Of course like someone else stated Protein shake tasted are very person specific! Good luck & let me know what you think of them Oh & a GNC bonus, if you sign up for their free discount card you get a 10% or 20% discount(I forget which sorry) the first week of every month!

I had 2 Protein flavors, one watermelon, one coffee looking back I wish I had 3, and an unflavored protein. I added the unflavored to anything, but mostly broth. I had already been on a 10 day liquid diet, so it wasn't so bad. If you have the urge to chew, chew on ice or Jello. Jello worked for me, if you have an unflavored Protein powder then add some of that to the jello for protein jello. I did liquids longer, because I didn't want to do purees, I knew the texture would make me nauseous.

I had my surgery on Jan 25 as well in San Antonio. I am about 10 min from the Austin TR office. I am not feeling too much gas pain, but have some pretty bad incision pain that just won't go away. I am very glad that I don't have to go back to work until Wednesday! Glad to see some other ATX TR people in this forum!

Banded 10/31/2011, down 80+ pounds.

All drs seem to have different criteria they follow but it's basically the same for the most part...I will answer your question based on my experience. You will want to check with your dr before deviating from his rules. I had to give up carbonation..the is my drs #1 rule. No food is off limits once On solids but my band isn't fond of rice or thick pasta. First month Week one clear liquids Week two creamy liquids Week three mushies....like yogurt, hummus, mashed veggies, mashed potatoes, oatmeal...anything blended to the consistency of baby food Once on solids at week 4 I started eating the way I did throughout my journey. 1000 calories each day with portion controls being paramount. I ate three meals a day of 3 oz protien, 1/2 c veggies and 1/4 starch. I was allowed 2 snacks of fruit or a sugar free treet or something salty like 10 small pretzel sticks

Hello all, I am almost 10 months out and have severe nerve pain in my left leg. I am working with my doctor to determine the source of the pain. In googling for answers I have seen both wls (related to B12 deficiency) and long term use of ppi medicines as possible causes of nerve damage. Just wondering if anyone in our group here has experienced anything like this?

Well, having someone to encourage you when you want to quit is super important. My hubby had the surgery 3 weeks before me and has not had the stalls that I had. But, he kept me positive and reminded me about my progress. I've been working out since 3 weeks after surgery. I have gradually increased the intensity and added some things. I started out walking. I then added zumba. I then added body pump. I then did aqua aerobics. Now, I have a routine: Monday morning: run 3 miles Monday night: zumba for 1 hour Tuesday morning: walk 3 miles Tuesday night: body pump for 1 hour Wednesday morning: run 5-8 miles Thursday morning: walk 3 miles Thursday night: body pump for 1 hour Friday morning: run 5-10 miles (eventually this will be more as I am training for a half marathon) Sat & Sun rest days but still very active Walking, hiking, etc Food: I can pretty much eat whatever I want in limited quantities. I eat 800 to 1200 calories a day...sometimes more. I literally eat every 3 to 4 hours. I have 3 main meals and 3 Snacks.

I own them all!!!! Including the original movie and the two sequal movies. I once bid 3000 dollars for a chance for my wife to have lunch on set with Richard Dean Anderson, while making this last movie. I lost. It went for 33000 dollars!!!!! I also own the Wizard of Oz painting that was above the directors desk for 10 years. Ok, and I own a couple of props from the filming of the series, a zatnicatil and a gun from the Wormhole Xtreme episode. I won't say what they cost, too embarrassing.

I either have a scrambled egg, a Protein shake, or sometimes I have an Atkins AdvantEdge bar. I'm not really crazy about eating breakfast bars like that but I'm not a big breakfast eater so I'm trying to make a conscious decision to eat SOMETHING before around 10:00 am. I found myself falling into my old routine of only drinking coffee in the morning and not having anything until 1-2 in the afternoon and I know that's not good for me. So I'm trying...

OH BOY!!! NOW YOU'VE GOT ME NERVOUS ABOUT POST OP-PAIN. MY SURGERY IS 12/22/10. THEN AGAIN I HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT. I SURE HOPE TOMORROW YOU WILL BE FEELING BETTER, IN FACT I KNOW YOU WILL.. CONGRATS ON YOUR NEW JOURNEY TO A SUCCESSFUL NEW YOU.

Think of it this way, we'll be avoiding future health problems that would come along with waiting! or, would you rather lose excess weight you've been carrying for 5 years or 10 years? Surely most people would pick 5 years because that means there is less damage to your body right?

Dear Amber, my BMI was "only" over 34 when I got sleeved, but I wish I had it done 10 years ago (I am 30 now). I would have saved myself a lot of health troubles. And I would have been happier. It does change your life, but before the sleeve I lived for food, right now I have so many other interestests! Like my skinny friends I eat and drink just a little bit and have more time for other stuff. I really wish I had it done before...

Me and you are in the same boat; I too am 19 and getting sleeved in May. I don't have any weight-related health problems such as back pain but I can see myself having some later on, plus I have a bad family history of medical problems, so I'm hoping this surgery will spare me from most of that

I am 19 years old, I have been overweight all my life, and have tried time and time again to lose weight. I am having surgery in May and it is a life changing experience, but think about what will happen if you don't. All of the health problems as we get older, I am 19 years old and I have back and knee pain daily! I'm not trying to push my decision on you, just giving you my side. Good luck in your decision, message me if you want to talk