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So far so good! I found out we were pregnant a week ago.. since then I am down 3 lbs. So great! Its so weird that I am losing but my tummy is getting rounder! #2 is def gonna show before #1 did! I have contiuned my workouts-increased cardio and decreased weights. I have maintained my diet but gave in to some cracker temptations LOL I went out to dinner but avoided what I "wanted" and got what I knew was appropriate calories for a meal. Phew! I hope I can continue to avoid a huge gain... i understand i will most likely gain because I am pregnant BUT last pregnancy I gained 70 lbs so it feels great that I am making better choices already!

I see so many ppl talking about their sometimes weeks long pre op diet of just liquids. It's always surgeons in the US. I'm getting sleeved in Mexico by dr. Ponce. He requires healthy diet for a week, and 2 days of yogurt. Anyone know why there is such a difference? Makes you wonder what difference it really makes? Or maybe it just depends on your weight?

Hey there Jennifer, I'm a teacher too and my date is also June 17th! I could have had it done this month, but I didn't want to do it during the school year. My nutrionist gave me a list of foods I could eat pre-op and post-op until I'm healed. I have a hand-written calendar and list that I'll be typing up this weekend. If you want to see it, I'd be happy to send it your way when it's finished. I'm so list-oriented, I feel like I want a calendar and list taped to my fridge to remind me exactly what I can have and on which days. We are out of school on June 3rd, so I'll have a few weeks to fret! Donna

Thank you so much for your positive words and encouragement, it really helps knowing someone has a similar story...not only that, but you have been successful. I stalled at 50lb myself and that is when the slow weight loss began. Thank u so much, I will keep swimming

@@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.

Hmmm, according to your profile your goal is to lose 100lbs. Let's get some perspective here. You are averaging 4.5 lbs a week. In 6 months there are 26weeks. 26x4.5=117 lbs @ current rate of loss. I think that is great. Heck, even if your loss slowed by half it would only take 45 weeks (10.5) months to reach your goal. Maybe I'm crazy, but I think being able to remove what has taken years to gain in under a year is AWESOME!!!

Ooh....I hope you are all still following this thread. I was submitted to empire bcbs this morning with 6 dietitian visits under my belt. Granted, tomorrow is Xmas eve and the world is generally non-productive for the next week, but how long did it take you to hear back from them? I'm really hoping it doesn't take the 30 days to find out... Sent from my SM-G930V using the BariatricPal App

Ahh good luck Miranda!! Less than a week! I hope everything turns out well. I'm sure you'll be fine. All the hard work is worth it in the end Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk

Here is the best thing about the sleeve - it takes away your hunger and cravings (for a while at least). I know it is hard to imagine but it is true. You won't want carbs - you won't want food. I had to make myself eat for the longest time. I am now about 18 months out and my cravings have come back some. Nowhere near what they used to be and I also can control myself and I know I can't overeat because it could stretch my stomach back out. I do eat what I want now that I am at 160lbs. That means sometimes I will have one scoop of ice cream or sometimes I might eat one small slice of pizza. The key here is I don't do it all the time and when I do I have very small portions. I also workout a few times a week. I have ate this way for about 6 months now and have successfully kept my weight around 160 give or take a couple pounds. I had similar concerns as you. I am 100% glad I did this and I feel awesome! I look awesome! I wish I would have done this sooner. If you follow all your doctors guidelines for what to eat at each stage you will do just fine. Congrats on your surgery date. A new you is right around the corner!!!

Well hello, anyone and everyone who might be reading this I'm Nikki, 26 year old soon to be RN who is going full time to nursing school, already have Bachelor's in Biology, been married, getting divorced, moved out, work full time in an ER, so what better to do than get surgery? Not any surgery, as you all know, a life altering all consuming procedure that literally drains me of all my self control and sanity. I guess what I am trying to do with this post is see if there is anyone like me out there. Young, stressed, and wanting nothing more then to live their best life. So I ask you this, question #1, what made you want to get this done? For some of us, like me, it is to be healthy to decrease risks of diabetes or heart disease. Others, also like me, want to look and feel how they do on the inside to be expressed on the outside. I am one week away from my surgery, I have the joy of drinking protein shakes that taste like they want to be food but just can't get seem to get their sh*t together. Can I censor curse on here? Well I am going to! What makes it worse is you can't escape food, even in the comfort of your own home people are eating in your shows, commercials, your neighbors are cooking...I swear I'm not crazy, just theses shakes have me dying to eat! Alright, question # 2... even though some of us are so close to the finish line and are about to get the surgery or we are on lap 2 of the race and are post-op, does anyone just want to quit? In my head I feel like it is so much easier to just be overweight, obese, clog my arteries with delicious fried foods and just accept the fact that people will always look at me funny because I am nothing like the models. But then I remember, I am too stubborn and too determined to die young or live a life where I depend on someone to push me around because I can't waddle any more. I hope none of my crude, blunt, sarcastic demeanor offends anyone..I just hoping to find like-minded support. I live in a state where I have no family and limited friends, most if not all of them don't support my choice to get surgery to fix my weight issue...I guess this is question #3 who else has to deal with backlash, judgement, and the constant "well did you try cardio, how about this diet or this" in their lives? I look forward to hearing anyone's responses to these questions Kisses

I live in Texas. We usually have at least 4 to 8 weeks of close to and over 100 degree days. For the past 4 or 5 years, I have felt like each summer would be my last. I just couldn't stand it. It's April and I am not dreading the summer!

First, are you type 1 or 2? Type 1 .. well, I have no experience. Have to defer that to more knowledgeable peeps. As for type 2.. I live with an insulin dependent type 2 diabetic. We do notice that his eating can vary widely on a day to day basis at home. When that is the case, he invariably needs more and more insulin. When he is in the hospital or rehab (unfortunately a frequent occurrence), the regular, consistent, counted meals result in his needing less insulin and weight loss. He is a hopeless case, and there is no fixing his home habits, so don't worry about him. But we can learn from him. In order to get control of things, you need to set up an eating schedule with counted carbs, and stick to it. Be extra conscientious about taking your blood sugar levels and adjust your insulin accordingly (if it's a system you can make modifications yourself). At first, don't change your eating habits, just keep track of them for at least a week. Once you know what you are eating, you can make tweaks. Drastic changes will likely result in low blood sugar levels, so make changes slowly. Meal management does become a full time job, but with your condition, that's part of the deal. The alternative, as you have discovered, is more insulin, weight gain, and possibly all the other diabetic complications.

Hello. I did go. It was an easy procedure but it didn't work. I need to have it done again. My surgeon told my husband when I was in recovery that he stretched in small increments because he didn't want to create another issue if he over stretched. So... I'm returning this week to meet with surgeon's assistant physician to discuss doing it again. Thank you for checking in!!!!

Learned last week that I was denied for skin removal surgery. Pretty bummed, what with warm weather coming and the thighs sagging. Apparently there's no way to appeal since BCBS has changed the criteria to qualify. Anyone else go through this, and what did you do? I can't afford to self pay, unfortunately.

Hi, I had a drain for a week after surgery. I had to measure the output and keep a log. There was no pain involved. It is a tube with an egg shaped bulb at the end that collects the Fluid. The doctor gave me a gizmo to wear around my neck that I could attach the bulb part to. I wore that for awhile, and then I began just sticking the bulb part in my bra cup. It was easier. When I went into the hospital, I brought a large safety pin with me so that I could pin the drain to my hospital gown. Someone on this link had recommended it. I'm so glad that I did. I used it.

Phat Journal Entry; Starting Weight: 325 lbs (March 10th, 07) Highest Weight : 340 lbs Curent Weight : 304 lbs Banding Date : MARCH 27TH, 2007.... 8 DAYS AWAY!!! I have lost 21 bls in 10 days of being on Optifast and excercising 30 - 60 mins/d. THE GOOD:angel: : Lost 21 lbs in 10 days....made it through first 3 days of intense carb hunger!! I am less nervous about surgery after chatting and reading enteries in this bulletin boards. I have decided that the best thing I can do to increase my chances of a positive surgery is to stick to my pre-op diet, remain positive and include the family in all steps. THE BAD : Hello my name is CanadianMacDaddy and I am an addict. I am addicted to Coke. Especially the Zero brand with its great taste, carbonation and sleek black label. I usually have 6 cans/day and have been warned that after banding carbonated beverages may be a NO NO! I quickly felt a stroke coming on as that also meant BEER... I am freaking Canadian and from East Coast... Beer paid my way through university (returned empties) after house parties. Anyway I am down to 4 cans of crack a day... even worse we just moved to Calgary and 4 houses down there lives a Coca-Cola service technician...Crack Master himself. The temptation is all around!!! THE UGLY :painkiller: : I have 3 young kids and Dad's quiet time was in the washroom with reading material or laptop. (A laptop in the washroom... is that a bad thing?) Now after being on Optifast I have no reason for the frequent bathroom breaks... "Terd No More" saw dust... so in a frantic search for fibre I have added lots in past few days and things are getting back to normal...well at least once a day regular! Pre-Op Meal of the Week: Ingredients: 1 - 10 oz Albertan Filet Mignon (pronounced MIG-NON) 1 strip of Canadian Back Bacon 200 grams of fresh raw mushrooms 5 grams of hot banana peppers 2 large white onions 1/2 bag of McCain's Tator Tots (any flavour) 6 Keith's Bottles of Beer 2 Carrots (for decorative purposes) 2 tbl of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Extra Virgin...yeah right) 6 large strawberries 1/2 a banana 1 package of Vanilla Optifast 8 cubes of ice Consume 1 beer. (Do not go to washroom) Wrap filet with bacon strip. Secure using toothpick as you will need this later. Bring frying pan to high heat with Olive Oil and place filet in pan to sear... count to 9 (for those of you in Ontario just count to 3 three times) and turn over. REPEAT. Consume 1 Beer. (Do not go to washroom) Remove filet from pan and cook onions, mushrooms, banana peppers and tots in the remaining cow meat gravy. Add some beer for moisture. Cook for 2 minutes...or for 1 TV commercial period between hockey game. Consume 1 Beer. (Do not go to washroom) Cut Carrots length wise and place on plate with potatoes. Place mushrooms, peppers, onions and sauce on filet. Consume 1 Beer (Do not go to washroom) Place optifast, strawberries, banana and ice in a blender. Mix and pour into glass. Consume 1 Beer (Do not go to washroom) Now take filet with side dishes and throw in garberateur. Drink Optifast and curse any family that may have contributed to metabolic syndrome heredity traits. Drink last Beer (try not to get any tears in the beer) Use washroom now... laptop optional. CanadianMacDaddy... wanting to be 1/2 the man I am today !

I just want to spread the word that if you are proactive in the process of having your lap band and not always waiting for the Dr's to do all the work, you can sometimes speed up the process. I had my final appt with my doctors office the Thursday before Easter. They told me that they would submit my paperwork to the insurance company the Monday after Easter and that it would take 2 weeks to a month for approval. Well I decided to call the insurance company after a weeks time and asked them did they receive my paperwork from my Dr's office. They told me that they just received it 17 min before I called. The agent asked me a shocking question,she asked "Is this something urgent that you need because I can bump your review status to urgent " I said yes it is urgent to me" I hadn't hung up the phone 10 min before she called me back to tell me that I was approved. My surgery date was set today for May 17th 2010.

I am almost 10 weeks pregnant (sunday) and I haven't had any issues with food getting stuck..I drink lots of water before I eat and it seems to so called lube my band up so I have no issues getting anything down..I am probably not going to get unfilled but I say if you can't keep anything down you def need to get unfilled some...I would get some protein drinks like Mariposa said and try to keep those down...good luck and congrats!!

I stalled at 3wks and 7wks. I understand theres another coming up at around 14wks. Its normal and thats the time you want to take measurments instead of weighing yourself. chin up kid.. you are normal.. and if you have more questions.. theres always the chat room. Its more active at night.

Hi all - am almost 3 weeks post op. Dropped close to 20 pounds the first two weeks and I have only lost about 3 pounds in the last almost week!!! I know my doctor said it was inevitable - and he said I probably wouldn't lose much in the next couple weeks but it almost has me second guessing why I did this. I feel fantastic and I know I won't drop 100 pounds overnight but in my head I keep thinking that I lost more weight than this ridiculous amount by just eating healthy!!! I'm just about at my breaking point with frustration. I know it is normal but what gives? I'm ready to start losing again.

Hi, I had my surgery on December 10, 2013... the first two weeks I felt great... but now I am nausea and vomiting, the doctors have tried several things but I still nausea even when I take the medication for it and vomiting every few days. I see my doctor tomorrow also and I am going to ask for a CT, ultra sound or endo scope to find out if something is happening which medication won't help. I talked with several forums and one lady said it has been 10 months and she still isn't doing great. I somewhat upset because I am not sure if I made the right decision to have the sleeve. I hope things are going to be ok.

At 3 days post op I was on Clear Liquids but i remember this feeling of being bloated almost. It was hard to drink what I was being asked to drink. I sipped like crazy for many weeks. Once you get to the pureed stage, you should start to feel a little different.

I am a couple days shy of 4 months & around the week of Christmas I noticed that I was starting to feel hungry. Like go drink some more Water & feeling wasn't gone. I am at a little stall this week only down .6 of a pound but I am sure I have gained muscle because clothes are fitting looser then weeks prior. I am sticking well within my calorie allowance & eating acceptable foods for my program. Ie no intentional eating of carbs allowed until the start month 7 obviously some foods like yogurt innately contain carbs but you all get what I mean. I am also getting exercise in daily so just wondering if anyone else is experiencing this? Happy New Year to everyone????????

I will be 3 weeks out on Monday. I am really craving spicy. How long did it take for yall to eat something spicy?

I'm just wondering if anyone knows why we have to crush our pills or open the capsules for the first 6 weeks. But after that we can take them normally? Was everyone else told the same thing? Do you know why? Sent from my SM-G920V using the BariatricPal App