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TL; DR: this is a post about 12-step recovery. Your mileage may vary. food was never the problem. Food was the solution. The problem has always been the build up of normal human emotions. This is not an original thought from me, JWM. I heard this in an OA podcast. The speaker, Harlan G., discusses the twelve step recovery program of Overeaters Anonymous in detail, and at length, and describes how he has recovered from compulsive overeating, giving him 17 years of abstinence and several hundred pounds of weight loss, from a high weight of 700 pounds. I am blessed to have had the resources to get WLS and my LapBand nearly two years ago. I am blessed to have found my way back to OA and am vigorously working a program of recovery that addresses the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of my disease of food addiction. I need both. Since my surgery in March of 2014, I filed for divorce and moved out of my home with my college age daughters, leaving behind an abusive and controlling spouse who will not let go. He continues to be openly aggressive to me and our daughters and we have gone "no contact" as much as possible. The divorce should come to a conclusion three months from now. This two years had been, by far, the most stressful of my life. I began therapy for my divorce shortly after moving out, and my therapist recommended Codependents Anonymous. CODA helped immediately. From there, I soon found my way back to OA which I had been in decades before. I began working the program, and finally got a sponsor in December last year. Working the OA program with a sponsor and attending lots of meetings gave my weight loss the kick in the pants it needed. I found myself addressing the daily emotions head on instead of hiding in the food. I was now able to make the changes I wasn't willing to make the first year and a half after my WLS. I put down the fried food. I put down the alcohol. I put down the prescription pain pills that I "needed" for my knee pain. I put down the buckets of movie crapcorn I was eating every week. I put down the Thai noodles that I would fantasize about during my work day and run to like a lover at 5pm. I put these things down and I felt so much better. I didn't feel good. I "felt" better. I felt pain better. I felt sadness better. I felt anxiety better. I felt worry better. I felt like a walking, talking rubber band wound up tight and ready to snap. And sometimes I snapped. I went to OA and CODA meetings nearly every day. I went to my therapist every two weeks. But once every two weeks isn't enough for the daily buildup of normal human emotions that is life. And that is where my OA sponsor and the people in these 12-step programs come in. I have a network of help that I can rely on daily. Whenever I need it. The miracle of modern texting allows me to vent to an understanding person 24/7. And sooner or later that person replies and I get a perspective on my problem or situation I didn't have before. I reach out and get out of my own head every day to help somebody else. And I am recovering. One day at a time, I am recovering. I no longer think about food all day long. I plan it, I commit it, I log it, I stick to it. And consequently, my LapBand miraculously is now at the right level of fill and works perfectly. I also practice self care in other, important ways. I listen to meditation recordings. I pull out my markers and I color in adult coloring books. I get foot and shoulder massages monthly. I meet with friends weekly. I give my dog his nightly Raindrop oil massage and it relaxes us both. Food was never the problem. Today it is no longer the solution. This has been my path of recovery. I expect I'll be on a path of recovery for the rest of my life. That's cool. Today I have a life.

I gained 12 pounds in the hospital, from IV liquids. It took me two weeks to lose that and get back to where I started. Then I hit the dreadful third week stall and stayed there for two weeks. Then finally the weight started coming off.

About three inches below my left breast. Like B52, the more belly fat I lose the more prominent it is. It sticks out a lot actually. Oh well. Not baring my midriff anytime soon.

has the reflux and other issues gone away since having band removed? please tell me yes. I am 2 weeks post op and still have horrible acid reflux. I also had an ulcer and gastritis prior to removal so not sure if ulcer is causing problems or still from band.

First question : I'm about 4 weeks post op and have hit my first stall. I have lost 21 pound so far but that was all in my first two weeks. I haven't lost any weight in the last two weeks. How long will this last, and what can I do to jump start it? Second question : I must admit I haven't be exercising as much as I should. I brought a treadmill and low and behold there were no screws to put it together, so right now I'm In the process of waiting for the company to send me new screws but I don't want to sit around and wait to much longer. So how long did u guys wait before you went to the gym? I don't wanna just go to get on the treadmill I will like to do other exercises as well. My doctor said at this point I can lift up to 10 pound. Thanks in advance guys!

Hiya Heartfire, thanks so much hun. I am feeling more positive each morning I wake. I need to go to the doc this morning as 3 of my wounds are weeping but I have the best GP. I have started the whole liquid mushy faze again, The one great thing is that my surgeon basically said that I know what I can and can't eat to do the best for my band so im on a diet between mushies and liquid. Im not really hungry. I think im a bit sore to be hungry. I'm not to worried I went 6 weeks before the band not eating much..I am just elated I still have my friend!! I call it Kekona it means second born in Hawaiian and I guess thats how i will feel in a few days!!! xoxoxox

That's awesome! I actually had my surgery the day before you... and I've lost about 28 lbs. so far! It is exciting... i have a question for you though... have you already had your first fill? and also do you feel restricted? I just had my first fill at my 4 week follow up appt. and I'm suppose to stick to 2 oz. meals... however... I find myself still able to eat way more than that... and I keep catching myself testing the waters a little and going beyond my 2 oz portion size. Just wondering how your experience is going. I'm still on mushy foods for the next 2 weeks... and then I graduate to "textured" foods. thanks for the post! Kayla

If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have any at all...Saturday was one of the worst days I've had in a while. It started well...pedicure, excited to go to a friend's bridal shower, but quickly went bad. I had my first post op meltdown yesterday as I was trying to get dressed to attend the bridal shower. See I've always prided myself on my appearance and clothing. I was a plus size fashionista of some sort. I had my ensemble planned out in my head and was excited since I hadn't really dressed up in a while. I'm a teacher who had her surgery right at the beginning of summer vacay and its been a lot of sweats, tshirts and elastic. Yesterday my clothes were too big....not just "oh there's a little extra room" too big, but falling off my shoulder too big. AND my bra was too big. You could see the cup collapsing under the clingy shirt. I tried 4 different bras and 2 shirts before I broke down. I had a full on temper tantrum. Of course I'm happy, but who wants to look a mess? I finally compromised with myself and headed out the door. Because of the meltdown I was running late for the shower. Then I was even later because the hall sat back from the street, behind another building and I drove past it back and forth for 15 minutes. Finally made it, go in and....I FALL DOWN the last 6 or so steps. I didn't kill myself, but I could feel my ankle throbbing. By the end of the shower I knew it was going to be bad. At home, the swelling and pain picked up. It's painful to walk and all I can think about is I won't be able to work out.... I'm only 6 weeks out and am losing at a ok rate, but when I work out, of course I'm pulling down some pretty damn good numbers. I already was going to see my reg doc on Monday so I'll have her take a look at it and pray for the best. THEN...guys this is your cue to leave. Ladies tmi coming. Then after 1.5 years my cycle starts! My cycle was purposely stopped in Jan 2011 because I have large fibroids. I was given hormone injections every 3 months, but had to stop them in preparation for surgery because of the risk of blood clots. So while I haven't been searching for my cycle I had been a little concerned because the last injection was Feb 2012. Well aunt flo showed right on up yesterday with a wrath....crimson tide! I'm feeling better about everything today. The swelling on the ankle is going down and I'm controlling the pain. Have an luncheon to attend today and I already tried on the dress lol. Can't wear the shoes I had picked out, but I'll be fine. I still am angry about the cycle though.... Thanks for "listening" to me fuss! *kisses*

I'm now 8 weeks out feeling Happy but I take st John's wort tea on work days.

I understand the eating thing completely!!:help: I will do good for a few days and the scale (yes, I weigh every day) looks like it is going down and when WHAM I could eat the a$$ out of dead rhino...Nothing is enough. Or I will do well during the day and then at night, I am starving! I am waiting till the Dr. hears from my insurance co., then I have the phychological done and set up the day to be banded. It already seems like a long time and the Dr. office didn't get my test results back and ready to go to insurance until last week. I have no idea how long it will take for them to get back to the Dr. In the mean time, I am suppose to be losing 15 to 30 lbs before surgery. I keep going up and down the same 5 lbs over and over. Another of my problems is the way I work. I have 2 jobs and I wind up taking something to my evening job to eat. It is too late to eat at 9:30 when I get home, and too early before I go in, at 4:30. I usually get a salad to take on nights I work, but that gets old. Then I wonder what I will eat after the band. I usually take a Lean Cusine to school for lunch but they have to much rice and pasta in them to eat after the band. I need to make large quantites of food when I'm off and then eat on it all week. I don't know how this will go after the band. My grown son lives with me, for now. He cooks occasionally, not much though. Then my mom lives in an assisted living place and when I'm off I try to go to see her and take her out to eat. I don' t have time to get anything done, I feel like I'm going crazy!!! At least when summer gets here, I will have a little more time off of school. But then again, I agreed to work summer school for 2 weeks...It never ends.... FunnyDuddies you are not the only one venting here tonight I guess! Best of luck to all of us.

some days everything goes down others it is throwing up all day same with the wieght first it comes off then it stalls then it goes up does this make any sense?

I am just now 6 months. I have been in the 18os for over 2 months now. I have been going up and down the same 3 lbs for atleast 5-6 weeks. Has anyone stalled this long? I think that I may be at a point that my body won't let go of anymore of my weight. I'm curious to know how long you guys have stalled?

I noticed that my body has a rhythm..... I loose a significant amount of weight... stall, gain a pound or 2, then start losing again..... weird.....like it's not letting go easy... wickedness.....

Hi I had my band done on Thursday last week but are still very fragile. Can anyone please tell me a bit about your experiences afterwards. I was very sick for the first 3 days. I still have a very strong pain on my left side of my stomach. I eat my liquid diet foods every 3 or so hours (250ml's) but are still ravenoues? Any one else? Will it get better? What can I expect for the next phase - mushy foods?

:wink: Friday night I was woken up by the police slamming on my door. The son was too loud and someone--one of his dumb "friends" was running up and down the street with a loud car. I let them in his room to talk to him about it. they hauled my son out of my own house to jail. This is not the first time. Things were just looking up for him, he is graduating from college, got a job part time for the first time in a long time. Not a great job but a job anyway. And now this. We will make him pay us back but we are out $2-3000 for lawyers and such. We have spent so much on them already. But from what we have seen he cannot go to court without one. Why am I writing this? Meanwhile I am supposed to be watching what I am eating. I could have ate a gallon of chocolate yesterday for sure. My husband who is thin got sick and could not eat. I get the opposite when upset. I guess my point is that there are a lot more things going on than just why am I not eating what I should? There are lots of problems and it is so hard. I have done really well not going crazy. Luckily I have several Lo cal things that are sweet that are helping. I still have exercised and yesterday a big walk. I just am not not losing. I am so stuck where I am since November. The fill I got has affected me a little bit but just is not doing the job. I am in my 11th month here. I just need that little boost --- something needs to go right! I guess that is it tonite blog. When will this kid change? Why can't he see that his friends are using him and now using us and that we are the only ones who have ever really supported and cared about him?? I don't feel like a good week is coming up. I will keep trying but keeping my attitude and chin up about all this weight stuff is just getting to be too hard. I don't have diet cokes anymore, and why? I am not losing, it is not helping? I don't eat any bread when eating out at all. I bring half my food home. And for WHAT!? This is tough....God please give me a break soon. :wub:

I started with personal trainers 8 weeks out and abs were no issue. I think everyone is a little bit different, healing time depends greatly on varied factors like age and other health conditions. I'm sure the strength of your abdomen in general plays a factor too.

No wonder you are confused! The best person to listen to at this stage is your surgeon as he knows what is necessary for healing. Your diet seems to be progressing far quicker than most peoples. The standard is usually 2 weeks liquids, 2 weeks mushies, 2 weeks soft and then finally progressing to normal foods at 6 weeks. Watch what you eat carefully, make sure you are not getting any discomfort and if you do have problems slow down and go back to the previous food stage for a while. Advancing the diet too fast postop can lead to problems.

I remember being in liquids, full liquids, and soft mushies for quite awhile...couple weeks at a time. You really want to make sure your body, incisions, and tummy heal. Good luck:)

Isn't it great? I wore a 3x set the before surgery, returned to work wearing a 2x set 3 weeks later, and I'm now in a 1x set at 2 months out. I love it!

Hi It took me about a week, My doctor strongly believes in "no unnecessary medication to be given" and suggested the water I drink will do the trick and it did help in my BM. :-)

Pinterest had great bariatric recipes and the web site theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com has lots of recipes. She had RNY but the recipes are same for sleevers. Best of luck. Chili is my go to food and I am 7 weeks out!

I'm in week two after gastric bypass and on pureed foods. I am measuring all of my intake but every time I eat anything I get a dull ache and discomfort in my stomach. I have eaten so slowly but maybe not slowly enough? I haven't had any nausea or vomiting...just stomach pain/discomfort. Any tips on what I'm doing wrong? Oh and the constipation is totally a thing. I'm on Miralax powder every day and Colace and I'm on day three without going. Ugh.

I didn't get the gout.... however, I do have an auto immune disease and I certainly did have a terribly painful flare up of my joints. I am feeling great now and am three months post op.

Although the scale has remained the same for a weeks.... This is a message I sent to all 400+ of my FB 'friends' but thought it would an even better post here. . For those of you who have noticed, I have been more active lately. I never wanted to pick up running because I didn't want to be slow or last and that fear has always held me back. Well I just ran a 5k and my oldest biggest fear was just about to happen. I was almost last, but instead of walking, giving up or beating myself up I just kept going!! And you know what the pit in my stomach went away and I finished with me head held high!! Life is all about challenges. We are only judged on how we react to them. Thanks for my family and friends who have been so supportive of me while I get my health on track. I really do love you all!!! And as everyone knows I do always have to add some sarcasm . As I rounded the 1/2 way mark and thoughts of the old me were rearing their ugly heads I heard my dad with more of his nonsensical 'logic'.... You know what they call the person that graduates last in their class in medical school..... Doctor Thanks for the words of wisdom dad they came in handy when I needed it most!! NEVER EVER give up AND I was much faster than last year when I was sitting on my couch

Im on my third week also and im also burping a lot small and belchy burps