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So I went for my CAT scan this morning. It was actually two CAT scans, one of my chest and one of my upper abdomen. Jeesh that crap is expensive. Thankfully on this insurance policy, I've met my deductible for the year. Unfortunately I begin a new job next week so I'll have a NEW deductible soon. I am praying that I won't be eaten up with more bills. I am thankful (or rather, trying to be) that God has given me the options of being able to make arrangements to pay most of these bills thus far. I'm praying that continues. And I'm not going to think of Bora Bora or Tahiti, my life long bucket list places that I dream of going, and how I probably could have if I would not have done all of this to myself. Anywho, I digress. Yeah I'm a rambling queen, what's new? So the CAT scan was "interesting"... as interesting as having my large toe cut off slowly. The technician was someone that I knew from prior experience, very nice man. He said that the results will probably get to my pulmonologist either Wed. or Thurs. So then I'll know "what's next". My pulmonologist is a little bit 'different' so I'm praying that experience with him isn't as jarring as the last one that I had with him! You go in and have to drink these two large bottles of clear liquid. It's very sweet stuff, not far off from a protein bullet but not quite as alarming as one of those. I choked down the 1.5 bottles the tech told me to do, then off I went. After the CAT scan was over, I took hubby to lunch. Least I could do since I "made" him take the day off. He was going to 'work from home' and just go with me but I didn't want him half here you know? That was the other day whenever I cried so much I swole my eyes shut that I made him take the day off, but c'est la vie. I am better today after having spoken to my bariatric dr. yesterday. I fully trust Dr. Meyers. He is a skilled surgeon who has helped me so much in all of these bills and figuring out what is next. He told me that if they find a cavity or area of trapped cells somewhere in between my diaphragm and lungs, they would probably have to get a cardiac thoracic surgeon to drill it out. It would be done laproscopically, but still he said to call him and let him know so I can discuss who is on my plan and who is good to do this if needed. If it's not a cavity or pocket of cells, then it might just be 'water' in my lungs leftover from the first surgery... then my pulmonologist can drain that himself per my bariatric dr. I hope that's the case. And I'm praying all of this just gets resolved. After lunch with hubby (btw, we made a 'good' choice today in managing my environment... we went to cowboy chicken and had rotisserie drumsticks with campfire veggies and watermelon and split it). Then I went to macy's... every year I try to remember in August to go look at bathing suits for next year. So this year, I reallllly needed to. I got 10 pieces for $48! And I even got one bikini. Who the hell is this girl buying a two piece? IDK but whenever we hopefully go somewhere next year (or the year after, we'll see) then I'll be wearing that. But not at the community pool, like I need to see PTA peops in a bikini with my scars. Who knows though... I might just get that daring after all. Thank you to anyone and everyone who has been praying for me. I truly don't have words to tell you how much I appreciate it. Felicia you are the bomb btw. She may never see this, but I sincerely appreciate all of your texts and prayers. tc, write soon... xx

I was banded nov 1, 2011. I have lost a total of about 60lbs and no more since. My original dr never would give me a fill when I felt it was needed then after he finally did I really didn't lose anymore weight. I found a new dr who is very thorough. I have had 1 more fill with the new dr and things are ok eating wise, but I am still not losing anymore weight! (Not gaining any thank goodness). I attend Zumba 3/4 days a week, go to the gym and walk a mile or 2 on the treadmill and then lift some weights in the mornings. I don't always eat what I am suppose to, but for the most part I eat small healthy portions. some days I just want to give up and have the band taken out...... Am I the only one going through this? How do I get out of this rut?

I thought it will do all the work actually but thanks .. sorry for the stupid questions but my doctor is so popular down here he does like 4 a day so he didn't have time to give me details YA .. he just gave me the plan .. 4 weeks liquids .. 4 weeks kinda solid .. my question is when do I get the fill ? He told me in 2 months but I think thats too long .. I just need to drop 40lb ..

DH and I got to Everett earlier than the appointed hour. They were allowing 15 minutes to fill out all the paperwork. LOL!! Took a lot longer than 15 minutes. The phych eval was THREE separate pages that asked nearly the same thing, I had to review a little bit to be sure I wasn't contradicting myself. (Don't want to screw THAT up!). DH got to go in with me during the nurse/nutritionist portion but she made him leave during the psych visit. But, there was nothing that he couldn't have been there for. Anyhoo, she said she would approve with no restrictions. Woo Hoo! Visit with the doc followed. Nice guy. Very informative and he certainly believes in his work. You can tell he loves what he does. I feel very confident. Tiring day. Time for couch potato stuff now.

However much weight you need to lose is irrelevant to how the band works and how soon you can eat. You had it put on your stomach, if you want it to stay there, you need to follow the post op schedule. That means 4 weeks liquids for you. You can manage your hunger well on liquids if you've clever about it. It doesnt have to be that hard. My doctor said that anythign that goes up a straw is a liquid and I've heard that said many many times on here. So..... if you're hungry, as you're able, blend REAL food up to liquid consistency. Dont try to survive on Water and juice and Protein shakes. Blend things that contain meat and vegetables and good carbs, make some hearty Soups and water them down with broth or a can of tomatoes or whatever and blend them up. You can blend up a roast dinner with broth, I know because I did it. My doc was FINE with that. It only has to be liquid, not calorie free. I lost heaps and heaps of weight in the liquids to mushies phase and I was not hungry. When you're hungry, have something to eat(drink). Have your liquid meals small and often. But stick to the schedule or you'll and up right back in hospital. Or maybe not but down the track you'll have problem. Its simply not worth it. Its only a few weeks and if you were committed enough to losing weight to be banded then you should be committed enough to follow the plan. I dont see that its anyone's business but yours how overweight you are and whether or not it was right to choose a band, mind your own beeswax is what I'd say to those people. But there's SO much information out there on the band, that even if your doctor has been completely and utterly negligent, you should have been able to find out that the band is not a magic cure all.

thanks for the feed back people! my dietician told me she wanted me on 1200 calories a day. i was eating only 900 and she said my body isnt loseing because its in "starvation mode" i dont know. before she told me that i was barely getting to 900 calories. my band holds 9cc, and my first fill was 1cc. i dont get another fill for 2 more weeks. i get 3-4 oz of protien every meal, but she said if i work out and burn 350 calories that i should eat those calories too. i dont know if she is wrong, or if there is a method to her madness?! frusterdated!

This afternoon I got a call from surgeon's office letting me know that all surgeries for tomorrow have been cancelled due to a death in the immediate family of the Proctor coming in to work with surgeons. They are changing over to the new type of band with inflatable sections/balloons and need to learn from a Proctor. So, they reset me for 12/15. I am disappointed as emotionally and logistically I was all set and things arranged at work, home, etc. Of course, I am sorry for his family and their loss. I just finished the two week diet and drank this horrible drink this afternoon to clean me out, I guess I will just continue the prep diet until the 15th. I am down 13 pounds and maybe it will afford me the chance to lose more before the surgery. Like Pollyanna, I am trying to think of something to be glad about...still trying... okay I will move on now. I am bummed. So, now Ryan, I guess I am not a November Band sister to you, unless our Mom was in a very long labor ...like 2 weeks. HA. Best wishes to all. Happy December!!!!

I was on full liquids for two weeks after surgery. It wasn't until I got into the puree stage (after the full liquid stage), when I was able to eat something with more substance, that the tiredness went away.

Count me in...I'm 3 weeks post op and I have experienced the same. As my food options increase, I just keep measuring. I do find that as I combine foods (2oz egg whites with 1oz cottage cheese), I find that as I get closer to finishing, I am starting to feel a little "fuller" and by fuller it doesn't really feel like that. More of like a stuck/blocked feeling in the lower chest/upper ab area. I was getting paranoid though thinking the surgeon made kinetic too big or that after all I went through I would still fail but countless ppl told me that a lot of it has to do healing, swelling internally and decreased nerve response. Some people said the whole full restricting feeling came at about 2 months post op. So I think your pretty normal for those of us who are really lucky to have an easy recovery . Best of luck to you.

Fluff is right on...You may not feel restriction right away. I didn't. I'm still trying to figure out what full feels like and I'm almost 2 months out. I measure and weigh religiously. Another thing is wet food vs. dense food. I was surprised to find out a couple of weeks ago that I ate 1/2 cup of chili (I was allowed to eat as much as a 1/2 cup, but had not done so to that point). I panicked - did I eat too much? How could my sleeve allow me to eat that much? Then I realized, the chili is wet and some of it probably slid thru the sleeve. The next day I experimented with chicken - I ate only chicken and could only get 1/4 cup down before feeling the restriction. The chicken was much more dense. You're probably seeing the same thing with yogurt - you'll probably be able to eat more yogurt than say scrambled eggs. My doc made of point of saying, "Eat what's on the plan in the portions you're allowed. Remember, you don't have to eat it all. Stop if you feel feel or restriction." I have found that there are times I will do a hiccup and burp at the same time, that's a clue that I'm getting full. Other times I my nose will run. Sometimes I feel a "poke" not a pain, but a feeling in my stomach. Once I feel any of these things I stop eating. You guys are doing great - it's all a learning process. Just listen to your body and stick to your portions.

my surgery was three weeks ago. I am 3 weeks out and have stayed the same for the last week. I did do inces today and there were loses there. I have read from many that this happens but it is still annoying. I mean eating 400-600 a day and to not see it move is just disheartening. I am also so tired still I don't how I would be able to walk and walk for exercise . Anyone else?

the average WLS patient seems to lose somewhere in the 15-25 lb range the first MONTH, so at 6 weeks out, you're totally normal. Of course, you will always find outliers to that 15-25 lb range, but they're outliers. Unfortunately, I think a lot of people's expectations are shaped by shows like "My 600 lb Life", but you have to remember that those people start out with MUCH higher BMI's than the average WLS patient. I lost 16 lbs the first month, and 28 lbs at the two-month mark. I only record monthly weights in my spreadsheet so I don't know where exactly I was at six weeks out, but I was probably about 23-24 lbs down at that point. And I ended up losing all of my excess weight, over 200 lbs. So you've got nothing to worry about. In the end, it's your level of commitment to the program that's going to make the biggest difference.

I am such a slave to the scale. I really just want to get rid of it but I know I wont. I weigh once a day in the mornings. I really should switch it up to once a week and get a little more bang for my buck.

Scutles happy you are doing so well, nothing wrong with being tired after WLS many people are tired after MAJOR surgery might take a week, 2 weeks et al to get your strength back - all of us react differently your physical & mental well being should gradually improve rest up per "MY STORY" you have 4 kids - age 10-14 - ooops i mean you have 3 kids plus one DH common on guys, attempt to show my silly sense of humor - no offense intended, ok ??? -still friends, ok kids aren't TOO young anymore 10-14, hubby can/will help you by helping/taking care of the kids - what a guy, he's a keeper!!!! Scuties - give yourself "permission" to take it slow and easy you'll need all your strength/ energy as you start and continue this wonderful journey into sleeveland with improved health and happiness for the rest of your longer life!!! take care speedy recovery

I moved to solids one week before I was supposed to and it went fine. Today is 6 weeks and I've lost 45 pounds and eating almost everything.

Anybody banded locally? I have another week for mines. Sent while fleeing from naughty food.

I have no idea how people have managed to go back to work after a week. It's been over two weeks for me and I still need a nap every afternoon.

I have learned a lot from this forum. Thank you to everyone. Thought I would pass along my experience. I was sleeved 12/5. First week was bad but not totally unbearable. Mostly because my husband stayed home with me and "watched" me and made sure I was eating, etc. I had read about plenty of people on this board and in articles who went back to work after one week. I decided I would try working from home. I was eating on the regular schedule but not drinking enough (I am on full liquids). Wednesday, after working 2.5 days at home I had my first post op appointment and found out not only did I have a fever, I was severely dehydrated. The staff at the doctors office gave me an i.v. but later decided to send me to the hospital. So I got to spend another day in the hopsital and was told NO WORK. Which is very hard for me. So my advice is, when the doctors tell you to plan a certain time off, listen!!! Also, drink your Water. Today has been one of my hardest days post op because I am on my own again and the Doctor's staff gave me a strict drink at this time for 1.5 hours, eat at this time for 1/2 hour. I know it will get better. I know that from everyone who has posted. This too shall pass. But nothing like feeling like an idiot when I realized and had to confess that I probably wasn't even get 36 ounces of water in me. So thanks for listening and thanks for all the advice from this board!

I had my 2nd fill a week ago...had to go back that afternoon and have some taken out...hard pain all afternoon. After 3 days on liquids I seemed ok and was able to eat Fri & Sat but at lunch on Sun something got stuck and it all started. I know what PB is but what does PB stand for???? Anyway, I have had horrible pain and pb/throwing up since Sun...even with liquids. I go to the doc today but I have had sooooo much pain that I am to the point of wanting my band removed! What am I doing wrong??? My protein drink got stuck this morning!

Congratulations! I am counting the hours until Monday , my 3 week mark, when I get off thin liquids and on mushies/soft food. I can't WAIT! I really don't mind my doctor being conservative though, this sleeve is for the rest of my life so I want it good and healed. Meanwhile.... Protein shakes. GAG.

I had the same issue and today I am three weeks post op. A few days ago I started taking in under the tongue dissolvable b-12. The no energy went right away! And I feel great!! It's a naturemade brand I believe.

1. Eat 3 small meals a day? yes but I also ate 2 snacks. I worked out twice and had to drink juice twice to bring my blood sugar up. 2. Eat slowly and thoroughly Yes 3. Stop eating as soon as you feel full. yes 4.do not drink while you are eating. 30 minutes before and 1 hour after. Check I did well with this one. 5. Do not eat between meals. Not so good since I ate snacks. 6. Eat only good quality food Yes 7. Avoid fiber? Yea 8. 64 ounces a day yes wanted more but only did 64. 9.drink only low calorie beverages yes 10.exercise 30 minutes. Exercised 90 minutes. Am and pm. I thought over all today was a good day. I'm trying to follow the band rules everyday so I can be successful. I will be blogging everyday how I did. I think I should add that I made my protein goal as well. The rules I need to work on are three meals and no snacking we will see how tomorrow goes. Sent from my iPhone On Jun 15, 2011, at 9:26 PM, Melanie Vigil <mmv671@gmail.com> wrote:

Be patient. No one got this way overnight and it won't be fixed overnight. I was banded back in Aug of 08 and lost 40 pounds pretty quick (over a few months) but then hit a plateau for about 6 months and I am still struggling with this plateau. As the fills continued and my exercise ramped up to include some time on a stationary bike, I began to lose again. Right now I am down about 52 pounds and still working at it. Hang in there. ( I was stalled in the process early on by a post surgical infection which set me back a few months with the complications necessitating another surgery to reinsert the port which was removed due to the infection)

I feel your pain! I was banded 9/24 and started getting very hungry about a week out. Didn't help that my husband and everyone around me was eating pizza and burgers and all of the things I can't have. I saw my Dr. on 10/6 which was like 12 days postop, and they moved me on to mushies. I think as long as you can handle it, then its fine. Every surgeon has their preference, I've even heard of people going to mushies on the 3rd day. Since I've been on mushies/soft foods, I feel great!

From what I've read here, everyone is a little different. I was clear Liquids for 3 days, the "heavy" liquids (Shakes, Soup, etc) for 4 days. Started "mushies" on day 8 for 2 weeks. Then reg food for week 4. First fill end of week 4.