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I tested positive for it as well. I was quite surprised and actually angry about it. I'm on my second day of the "cocktail" as well. All I can test in my mouth is the medicine. I've brushed my teeth twice this morning, and still can't get the taste out of my mouth or throat. It's gonna be a long two weeks. I haven't been scheduled yet, however, they (bariatric team) told me that it shouldn't effect the surgery at all, and I wouldn't have to do another egd to see if it's gone. My surgeon says that it's actually quite common, and not to stress over it. Interesting the different information that we get. Good Luck, I'll be thinking of you. JJ

I have had a few plateaus so far, but I have been hovering around at 90 pounds lost for the last few weeks. I am just over the 6th month mark now. I had my check up at the doctor's office and I decided I wanted to up the intensity of my exercises, add strength training and start planning low carb meals. I realize that to get to where I want which is still 110 pounds away, I'm going to have to work even harder now and really be disciplined to be successful long term. I will be successful!

As Babbs said above, you don't have dumping syndrome. Your body is still healing and you are trying to rush food. You should follow the set diet given to you and only advance slowly to solid foods. When you have dumping syndrome you feel like you are going to die. You may have heart palpitations, begin to sweat, have a migraine, etc., not just the diarrhea. FYI: When you finally get on solid food you will experience the opposite of what you now experience. You will be constipated and may not go to the bathroom for a week or longer.

Wine! I know that makes me sound like a total lush, but it's been really tough, especially with warmer weather coming. My husband is a wine maker so it's kind of a big part of our life, and I know I'll be able to have it again, but for me it's been harder than any food I've given up. I also really hate not being able to drink Water after I eat. That's been a strange transition, too. BTW- I'm 11 weeks and I've used straws occasionally. But not until I was like a month out

I am on day 13 of my two week pre-op diet (which is a full liquid diet) and for me things started to settle down after day 4. I have surgery the day after tomorrow and since I have to do all clear liquid tomorrow I am thinking that will be the worst day of all. The worst time of the day for me is the late afternoon. I found that if I plan to "eat" something every two hours I can get through the day without too many issues. I have lost 12 pounds so far. My day pretty much goes like this: 7:30am - Protein shake 9:30am - sugar free Jello 11:30am - Protein Shake 2:30pm - Applesauce or a Sugar Free Jello 5:00pm - Protein Shake and a Sugar Free pudding 7:30pm - Sugar Free popsicle Drinking Crystal Light REALLY helps in the late afternoon too. Good luck to you. You can do it. I know it is hard but it does get easier. Dawn

I guess this is more of a vent than anything..I've googled myself to death on it, and I get all kinds of answers. Saturday evening I was cleaning and my lower back started to hurt a little. It got to be pretty bad, so I figured I pulled something..went to sleep early, thinking it would be better in the morning. Dead wrong, lost all range of motion, can't bend to save my life.. it's my butt and my tailbone though, not normal lumbar pain. Monday first thing in the morning I went to my chiro. Getting in and out of my car is enough to make me scream it is so painful! Chiro did an adjustment, told me to ice it and lay down all day. Done. Tuesday morning, no change. Went back to him in tears, and he sent me to my GP. They all think I twisted a muscle, since I didn't fall.. but I swear it feels like I broke my butt bone. He wanted to do an injection, anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxer, and pain meds.. they both wanted to do an xray but due to being pregnant, they can't. GP calledmy obgyn to see how she felt comfortable with me being treated. She said no injection, no anti-inflammatories.. so they gave me muscle relaxers and pain killers she approved of. I'm on bed rest all week. I started the meds yesterday around noon, and today at 9pm..still no change. I am so miserable, it's making me depressed.. I don't think it's related to the pregnancy, and I really hope it's not. I am not even showing yet and can't move.. If it were related, it's going to be a long 7 months. I can't find any relief in any position.. I am sick of laying in bed all day. Only pregnancy related things I have read is about your muscles loosening up.. I feel the opposite.... I realize how much I take being able to move like a normal person for granted. I am dying to finish cleaning my house, I can't sit on a toilet, putting my pants on is a big ordeal.. :crying:

Mine is 10/16. Just 1 week away I'm nervous.

Perfectly normal. My doc said don't worry about fluids the first few days... Just do the best you can. Swelling makes it tough. The first week is a bear! Relax and do your best. Don't fret. Sleep!

I see you are at the "what the F did I do to myself" stage. Many of us go through this. I wish I could tell you that on day 4 you will feel all better, but you probably won't. I'm at week 5 and I still have days where I think it would be much easier to just deal with being fat...and others, like today, where I can get into a smaller size pants when I realize it was all worth it. Hang in there, you are not alone !

Tomorrow I am going shopping for everything I will need at the hospital and the first week after. My list so far is the following: Body pillow Chewable Vitamins SF Jello broth Heating pad Gas X strips Water SF Popsicles I keep staring at it wondering if I'm missing anything. I was just wondering what you took with you to the hospital or had the week following surgery that was invaluable to you. There are a couple of obvious things I did not include like drawstring pants and my cell phone. I also am going to buy more of my Protein drink powder. Thanks!!

Like others said, you do not have to be a helpless bystander throughout your weight loss process. You can lose as much or as little as you want. In the beginning it's all going to come off very easily. Eventually you will hit stalls and you may even hit a long plateau where you aren't losing anymore. But if that's not the weight you want to be, it's up to you to be proactive and find a new formula that works to shed more pounds. I have been in maintenance for over 1 1/2 years and am happy where I'm at. But I also know what works for me if I do want to lose more. Which I have, but at a lower weight I look and feel too thin, so I go back up to where I'm comfortable. @@CowgirlJane and @@James Marusek both gave excellent descriptions of how they not only maintain, but also how they can lose even in "maintenance". Take their examples and be an active participant in your journey. Learn to listen to your body and pay attention to the details. This will help you formulate a plan that works for you. There are no cookie cutter answers to long term success. You are responsible for your own success or failure. And remember....if you think you might fail then, yes, you might. But if you KNOW you will succeed then you will.

I just started my journey as well. I see the nutritionist for the first time next week and I already had my consultation. I have to quit smoking . can u give me tips on how?

10/17/08 Here is my "Ah-ha" moment. (a bit lengthy) I have just realized that eating is not supposed to be fun. No...I know what you are thinking. Well I know if it was me two weeks ago I would be thinking that it may not be fun, but I enjoy it. I always saw eating as fun. Entertainment. I used it as a reward for myself or a consolation. I would put the kiddos to bed when they were little and then sit down with my favorite show and a plate of garlic bread and enjoy. If work REALLY sucked I would come home and sit down and eat ice cream or pick up McDonalds on the way home because I "deserved" it. Eating is not supposed to be fun. I thought going out with friends and having fun equaled eating. I started my pre-op diet on Monday. I started it earlier than I needed to and I have lost 8 lbs since last Friday. Wow I felt great...but I had that nawing desire for a last supper. Come on surely some of you can relate. That last...I can't eat this for months......can I ever eat this with the band......last supper. As of tomorrow no bread, pasta, rice or potatoes. I ate great all day. I went grocery shopping and did it. Guess what. IT SUCKED!!!!!! I had garlic bread and frozen pizza. (My staple) Not only was the garlic bread not satisfying, but the pizza tasted...well, flat. That is the only way I can describe it. Flat! It tasted worse than ever before. My taste buds would be much happier if I had eaten veggies and chicken breast. I wish I could puke. I hope I remember this feeling forever! So not worth it! I know that I will want crappy food again. But I feel like I am a step ahead of where I was before. Now listen to this. Are you ready? Eating is for survival. It is to get enough nutrition to live. That is its main focus. I know this sounds simple, but I have been oblivious to the obvious. (Try saying that three times fast.) It is not a reward. It does not console us. It doesn't take away boredom It doesn't listen to our problems. It is a fair weather friend....actually not even a friend at all. It is that bi*chy girl in jr. high that we thought liked us, but only pretends to until she can stab us in the back. I am ready now. I am ready to start the rest of my life. I am ready to try to forget this "last supper". Actually I guess I want to remember it forever.

10/17/08 Here is my "Ah-ha" moment. (a bit lengthy) I have just realized that eating is not supposed to be fun. No...I know what you are thinking. Well I know if it was me two weeks ago I would be thinking that it may not be fun, but I enjoy it. I always saw eating as fun. Entertainment. I used it as a reward for myself or a consolation. I would put the kiddos to bed when they were little and then sit down with my favorite show and a plate of garlic bread and enjoy. If work REALLY sucked I would come home and sit down and eat ice cream or pick up McDonalds on the way home because I "deserved" it. Eating is not supposed to be fun. I thought going out with friends and having fun equaled eating. I started my pre-op diet on Monday. I started it earlier than I needed to and I have lost 8 lbs since last Friday. Wow I felt great...but I had that nawing desire for a last supper. Come on surely some of you can relate. That last...I can't eat this for months......can I ever eat this with the band......last supper. As of tomorrow no bread, pasta, rice or potatoes. I ate great all day. I went grocery shopping and did it. Guess what. IT SUCKED!!!!!! I had garlic bread and frozen pizza. (My staple) Not only was the garlic bread not satisfying, but the pizza tasted...well, flat. That is the only way I can describe it. Flat! It tasted worse than ever before. My taste buds would be much happier if I had eaten veggies and chicken breast. I wish I could puke. I hope I remember this feeling forever! So not worth it! I know that I will want crappy food again. But I feel like I am a step ahead of where I was before. Now listen to this. Are you ready? Eating is for survival. It is to get enough nutrition to live. That is its main focus. I know this sounds simple, but I have been oblivious to the obvious. (Try saying that three times fast.) It is not a reward. It does not console us. It doesn't take away boredom It doesn't listen to our problems. It is a fair weather friend....actually not even a friend at all. It is that bi*chy girl in jr. high that we thought liked us, but only pretends to until she can stab us in the back. I am ready now. I am ready to start the rest of my life. I am ready to try to forget this "last supper". Actually I guess I want to remember it forever.

Welcome, this is a great site that is really helpful and the people on it are awsome. I'm amazed that you were up and around so quickly. Did you have any pain.....I have been reading that a lot of people have had a gas bubble stuck in their shoulder that was intolerable. I am hopfully getting banded in about 2 1/2 weeks from now. Anyways, welcome and I look forward in reading all about your future success! Nicole

I would suggest counting calories for a couple weeks at least, this way you can see exactly how much you're actually getting in. People who don't count calories and stop losing are usually very shocked at how much they're really consuming once they start counting. I use an android app called Lose It to log my food, it makes it extremely easy. You don't have to be super strict with your diet, but you do have to make good food choices a way of life. Even if you're having less than a cup of food per meal, if it's high calories and fat, you still won't lose. This is another reason logging your food awhile will help, so you can see what needs to be changed. I would also highly recommend seeing a nutritionist. They help so much. Best wishes.

Thanks for the tips. I'm feeling discouraged too. I've only lost 17lbs since having lapband w/plication on May8th. But I too have not been good about getting all my calories in and I've been off my food plan too. To make things worse I'm traveling for work next week (1st time since I had surgery). Thinking about going on a 5-day juice fast to reboot my system when I get back. Any thoughts???

I think thy said after 2 weeks. I notice everyone else gets them right after though. They also told me everything had to be room temp. Everything. It makes all of it, very unappealing. I appreciate the tips I'm having my husband pick me up something with some electrolytes here in about an hour. I just am tired of all the sweet flavors. It's crazy how much the surgery changes your tastes and desires. Sent from my SM-N920V using the BariatricPal App

hey bud you are 7 and 1/2 months PO, down 115 lbs OMG!!!!!! don't hurt your back but...... take a few bows don't hurt your arm, but.........you can pat yourself on the back too stalls are nasty, but we all have to deal with them. you want to loose 50-60 more lbs? don't worry it will happen 3 weeks, no weight loss, I think you are in a "regular" stall that hopefully will end sooner than later when you are closer to goal, thats when those last lbs. seem to take forever before they are gone God grant me patience, just hurry up about it good luck

It sounds like you are doing fine. There is even a good argument or two for doing a small maintenance period after about 100 lbs. Stalls are common, just seacrh the topic here you will come up with 100's of topics and replies. When we lose weight it isn't just about the burning the calories thus reducing the lipids. You body can store other things it anticipates it will need as you lose weight. It will shed them, however. You can have a stall break quickly, or slowly, a pound at a time, or WHOOSH! You are on the right track, log your foods. If not already consider checking out myfitnesspal.com. You got this, let it take time if it needs to.

Unlike you, I had no fear progressing in my diet! I was literally starving on liquids only. However, I had to stay on liquids for 4 weeks. Those first bites of mashed potatoes were heaven. And the refried Beans? Like they were waiting for me their entire life! And the yogurt....need I go on? Part of being banded is trying new things to see what you can tolerate. This is one of those times you have to be open minded and move on from what you're comfortable in. Start really slowly, with maybe 6 little bites, then stop. Next meal, add another bite. 1 can of tomato Soup lasted me 5 meals a day. And a cup of mashed potatoes lasted about 4 meals also. Are you scared it will hurt or that you'll gain what you've lost back? Marci

Next Thursday is my last appointment and I make my surgery date...but i scared. I'm not sure if I can do this? I've been cheating on my dieting for about a week and a half. If I can't manage under the pressure now, how will I be able to after

This is not Lifetime! This is, like, a PARODY of Lifetime... Current mood:fallacious Category: Blogging So, I read recently that Ciss and I have a "Lifetime" -esque love story that practically yearns to be shared (Ok, let me first point out that I've actually heard this a lot. Cissy thinks this, and so do the strangers that we meet that she shares our story with (Anybody remember the couple from the Gomez concert?). Secondly, let me point out that my above use of the word "yearns" was intentionally ironic, since "yearns" is very much a Lifetime word.....not so much a Trey word. Thirdly, let me point out this may be my longest use of the parenthesis to date. I've even managed to work in the much-coveted parenthesis-within-a-parenthesis. Impressive, eh?). Well, to be fair, I used to think that too. Upon later reflection, though, I have changed my mind. "But why, Trey....why?" you ask. Good question. What follows below is a list of reasons that refute the Lifetime theory. 1) - I was never an abusive boyfriend that both scared and excited Cissy at the same time. 2) - Cissy's mother never uncovered long-buried dark secrets from my past that would come back to threaten all that I hold dear. 3) - My ex-girlfriend never plotted harm to Cissy in a passionate, yet ill-thought-out plan to win me back. 4) - That scary Wank Wank Wank violin music is not audible when I enter a room with a scowl on my face. 5) - Cissy doesn't have an identitical twin sister that she was seperated at birth from that would later come back into her life to wreak havoc. 6) - Ciss and I never teamed up to investigate the abduction of a local young lady, only to have the trail lead to a white-slavery ring that we broke up using only our bravery and wits. Oh, sure I could on, but I think I've made my point. If anything, our romance is more akin to a Spike- style movie. "Trey....", you may be saying, "You can't spring a theory like that and have no examples to back it up". Well, actually, yes I could, but because you and I have forged a genuine emotional connection, dear reader, I WILL show how The Trey and Cissy Story could totally be made into a spike-tv movie. 1) - I have a cool catchphrase ("What's up, mothafucka?") that I like to spring when nobody expects it. 2) - Ciss is kind of like my "sidekick". We have witty banter. 3) - Although I have the physical size and martial arts prowess (Aikido, mothafuckas......see how I did that? Catchphrase, my friends, catchphrase....) to be a total badass, I am really a friendly, sensitive guy 4) - Three words: Daily car chases 5) - Cissy is one stone-cold hottie in a league waaaaay above me, yet she's clearly devoted to me, mind, body (hehheh) and soul. 6) - We are considering getting a liscense to carry a concealed handgun. Why? Because we can. Again, I could go on and on, but I think I've proven my point. Tune in next time when I may compare my marriage to Starsky and Hutch......or maybe LaVerne and Shirley would be more applicable.........