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I am a week preop and have met a lot of people who have already had vsg. I keep hearing horror stories in the gas/poops/burps. I asked the doc and he said the dissolvable sheets from Pyazym (sp?) work really good. Have any of you all tried this? I am on the pre op liquid diet for two weeks...I have never had the poops like I do now...I'm scared it will be worse after surgery and hurt my stomach getting on and off the crapper so much!!!!

ok thanks guys... I have an appointment next week with family doctor to get referrel, then to surgeon hopefully soon, i have been to a seminar , but of course they don't really concentrate on the problems that could happen. I am really thinking I will do it as long as insurance approves the procedure.

Sara, You just have to look at the benefits and the risks. I would say the benefits outnumber the risks. I already had to have emergency surgery not even 2 weeks out from banding....but I still say the benefits will so be worth it!!!!!!

That is such good NEWS!!! That happened to me I was moved up!! We had the same original first date how cool. I am now two weeks Post Op. I feel great today. Very exciting, and best wishes this is the best decision I have ever made. Good Luck imaluckydog Kathy

Hello! Well I found out last month that on 06/15 I will be laid off! This couldnt have came at a worse time with johns health problems and all. I cried like a baby and went on a eating binge for 3 days. My weight loss came to a screeching hault for a while. I was in a really really dark place. I feel better now, but still worried about work. I do get severance which is great. on 03/13 my husband will be released from rehab. I am so happy!! He wont be able to walk, which sucks, but I'm just so happy to have him home. He has been in the hospital since 11/27/11. He is in good spirits and I have to take this weekend to get everything ready. I gotta clean my house, car and buy some stuff for him. Like a cart for all his medical supplies. He needs to have bandage change every 3 days. There will be a home health care nurse and rehab specialist coming over almost everyday. I'm also trying to set something up with a state funded program that has someone sitting with him while I am at work. Until then, I will be taking vacation time. As for work, I am kinda looking here and there for a new job within my company. My impending layoff on june 15th has me kinda frantic, but to be honest I look forward to my severance pay and taking a break. I need a break. I realize that when I move I will take a 3-4 dollar pay cut which is huge since I will be the only breadwinner for a while. I had an interview yesterday, but I'm not positive I will get it. John wants to return to some kinda job, maybe his old one, but he isnt strong enough for all that. He will walk again, it's just one week at a time, As for my weight loss. I did hit the 6 month wall. All weight loss stopped. Partially it was my fault too, I ate too much and didnt work out a lot due to stress. I have found that stress halts all my weight loss efforts and when I'm not so stressed the weight has been coming off again this week. I've stuck to my diet and I am proud of myself that despite all this I am still standing and standing in size 14 jeans!

I do usually eat small meals. When I eat a large meal, it can be up to three cups of food or more. Keep in mind, I still have no restriction and I have no idea what my "green zone" is, what it feels like, what it's going to be or when I'm going to get there. I do know though, that three cups of food (on a day when I'm eating a lot), is still a whole lot less than what I would eat before the surgery. Also, since I don't have any negative effects after eating this amount of food (no reflux, back/stomach pain, vomiting, feeling of something "stuck"), how do I truly know it's too much (aside from the quantity)? Keep in mind, since I don't yet know what restriction feels like, I don't yet know how much is too much. But back to the original question, is it uncommon to then not be hungry for a few days? Thanks for your input. I appreciate it while me and my body partake in this science experiment! :-) I know I will get there!!!

Fear of losing the weightloss battle - author unknown You won't lose the battle if you are willing to work with the band and do your part. But I can almost guarantee: You will have plateaus when you first switch to solids until your body gets used to being fed instead of starved (most likely one-two weeks but could be three like mine.) During many plateaus you will lose inches not pounds and then finally a larger loss. Your loss in the first 30-40 days is a "never to be repeated" experience so enjoy it. Then you begin the long slow journey downward. You will learn the fine art of "PBs" and what causes them for you, it is swallowing air when you eat. Eating too fast....NOT chewing well or too big of a bite. Eating the wrong food for you...and not recognizing the "no longer hungry" after 1/2 cup (satiation) versus an "I WANT TO EAT MORE CAUSE I CAN or IT TASTES GOOD" or I crave it [head hunger]. You will watch your body shrink and will walk a bit taller-literally- and figuratively...start slipping into booths in restaurants. Sit in chairs with arms, stop worrying about how strong the chairs are, not having to ask for an extender belt on airlines. Finding it easier to, and you have more energy to walk/go up stairs. Clean house and do a million other day to day activities. Slip in and out of bath tubs where the water goes all the way around you instead of damming up and it doesn't kill you to stand up from sitting on the floor. Watch the years fall off your face and drivers license picture...got to a restaurant and order an appetizer and still end up with leftovers to take home. Go through doubts and several fills/unfills until you hit the "sweet spot" fill level for you. You will have to stop several times along the way to reassess your eating habits (I could eat certain foods and get away with some cheating a bit quantity wise at 359 and still lose...that had to go at 250). I have also found that I have to keep reminding myself 1/2 cup of solids three times a day--only--and drink my water (1 hour after meals until the next meal but not with meals). Eat protein first...fruit and veggies second, and non-complex carbs last. (Keep the fats, sugars, and non-complex carbs low...still have them but keep them low). And believe it or NOT a plateau that indicates that you need a fill is: 1. No weight loss for four weeks. 2. You are following all the band rules (8 out of 10 of us want to be able to break the rules and still lose figuring if we get a fill it will miraculously start us losing without us having to do our parts). 3. You are hungry an hour after eating (really hungry not cravings) and the 1/2 cup doesn't stay in the band for 2 1/2 to 4 hours. 4. You are drinking 60+ ounces of water a day and not drinking with your meal or for at least an hour after. 5. Once you move from mushy to solids--as much as possible get your nourishment from food that is solid. If you have problems with it sticking in your stoma, try it again chewing it well. Cut it up finer or chew it with other foods to keep it from recombining in your pouch and forming a plug (i.e. potatoes). 6. Try to avoid soups and/or protein drinks if possible (if you are able to eat your protein you will be full longer--some people have tight bands in the morning and can't eat so have a protein drink). 7. Whenever you hit a plateau, keep a diary and log everything, including water, which goes in and measure your 1/2 cup of solids. (Mine grew twice from 1/2 a cup to almost a full cup without noticing). 8. Try weighing in once a week to begin with, not daily. Later move to once every two weeks or once a month. When you are losing slowly, weight fluctuates daily with hydration levels, etc. At least this way you normally will see a loss and not a fluctuation or gain. Yes the loss is smaller but they are down not up. 9. Measure yourself monthly, often you lose inches before you lose pounds. 10. Don't compare yourself to others. We all lose at different rates based on age/metabolism/food choices/activity level...but we can all

Wow...well here I am banded for a week and 2 days. I am back at work today for the first time and OMG my port is killing me. I have gotten up and walked every 15 minutes becauase that is all that helps. I have a desk jpb so it is not that bad, but I feel like I am always walking around. My manager is ok with it and she knows I get my work done, but it scares me as to what others will think. I am not hungry, but also terrified to put anything thicker than cream soup in my mouth. I am down 10 lbs from my surgury date and I love it!!! One week 10 lbs I'll take it! hope everyone is doing well!

I am 2 wks. post op Rachel so I know what you are going through. I have been very depressed this week. I don't know if it is the weather and being stuck inside or not being able to eat much anymore or a combination. But boy oh boy - I hope it passes soon. I go to the docs for my 2 wk post op appt. today so I will see if i lost or gained any more wt. It is stressful knowing you kinda have to answer to someone. and be accountable. Oh well. I will post later on my results. But Rachel please try to hang in there too and get past this difficult time - healing process of the band. Thing have to get better - right?

Hey folks, I am a little over two weeks out and am transitioning to puréed foods - mostly just mashed potatoes and refried Beans right now once a day then liquids for the rest. The first couple weeks after surgery I never really felt full (or empty) so I just ate what was required and stopped. Now I am starting to have feelings of fullness but often it's before I finish my food or drink the amount of Fluid I had hoped to within a given period. Sometimes it takes hours to stop feeling any fullness. And its happens even with fluids, though in theory fluids should mostly just go straight through. If I start feeling full I usually try to give it like 1/2 an hour or so and then resume, usually even though I still feel full. I will usually eat or drink past full, not a lot, but I will try to finish my Protein meal or maybe get that last ounce or two of fluid. I worry about overfilling and causing a leak or bursting my staple line but at the same time there aren't enough hours in the day to get my fluid and protein requirements if I have to wait hours for the full feeling to go away. Does anyone else have any experience with this? What do you do - keep going to make at least most of your fluid and protein requirements (I've never made it all the way yet, usually I settle for at least 2/3 of them and anything better than that is a bonus) or stop when full and maybe make 1/2 your requirements or less? Also, how easy is it to create a leak? Will an extra ounce or two of fluid or a couple small bites more of mashed potatoes hurt?

Monday marks the day that I will sleeved 8 weeks ago. I am now in solid foods but just can't do it. I struggle with solid foods that I don't look forward to eating at all. I'm down 55 pounds and feel great except of a kidney stone I'm trying to pass. Anyone else just can't eat like myself? I want the soft foods but my doc says that's the gateway to gaining the weight back. The thought of some solid food just gags me.

Be kinder to urself, find the solid foods u can eat and don't stress about what u can't eat at this stage. Ur tastes will change - I couldn't eat eggs 8 weeks out but am fine with them now. Try something new every couple of days and u will know within one bite if u like it and it likes u, lol. Best advice I got was to chew, chew a bit more and when u don't think there's anything more to chew - chew again! I eat off a small plate and cut everything into small pieces before doing the chewing thing and have had few probs getting solid food in. So relax, take a step back from telling urself what u can't do and start to find foods that u can eat. At 8 weeks I didn't have a huge menu of things to eat, but don't worry about that. Protein and Water are ur priorities, anything else is a bonus :-) Hang in there, this too shall pass...

I talked to my boyfriend about the surgery. I told him about the seminar that will happen on the 25th. I had dreaded this for weeks. And I did not expect a happy reception. I was shocked. Not only was he supportive- but I hadn't even had the chance to explain- before he volunteered to go with me to the seminar. The doctor's office is 2 hours away so we plan to stay overnight rather than driving home in the snow late at night. He has been very nice to me this week. I wish this surgery were behind me.

I weigh 217lbs. That is a loss of 28lbs since my surgery on August 1st…and a loss of 43lbs since the start of the year. I am disappointed. I hate to be looking a gift horse in the mouth and all, but I am a scant 18 days away from my 2 month surgerversery and I was hoping that I would be able to lose 40 lbs the first 2 months. I was told the average weight loss the 1st 2 months was 40lbs. Alas, I am going to end up being below average. I haven’t stalled yet. I have lost at least 2lbs every week. I would imagine if I continue at this rate at a lowly 2lbs a week by Christmas- I would be down 56lbs since my surgery. Not great- but better than I would have had otherwise. I am struggling to mentally adjust to my clothing size. I am wearing clothes I haven’t worn in years- I find I check myself in the mirror 3-4 times before leaving for work. “Are you sure this fits?” My walks are the best part of my day. I walk on my lunch and again after work. I look forward to both of them and find that I am in a foul mood if I have to miss one. It takes forever to eat. This frustrates the life out of me. I usually lose interest in the food long before I finish it. I hit my protein goals every day. I struggle with my water. This could be why I am not losing as much as I would like. I have fallen short on almost every single day. I feel like I am either eating or drinking every moment of the day. Who has time for this? I have discovered I love spinach leaves. They make my toes curl. Chocolate use to be the bomb- now I think it is baby spinach. I am feeling better. I am looking a little better. I am always pushing for the next 2lbs. I keep telling myself the next 10 will be the 10 that will make a big difference. In reality- I haven’t been this weight in about 3-4 years. I am feeling better than I have in ages. I am no longer taking my blood pressure medication- because I no longer need it. I am very blessed to have been able to come this far in just one month and 13 days….now if only I could lose the next 10 pounds…

I would try to stick with sipping for as much of your fluids as you can. There is a reason your surgeon wants you to sip. It helps you to know when you're full. It gives your body time to digest the fluids in the correct way. I am 11 weeks out and I can still tell when I get full. I have been able to feel that since day three after my surgery. I didn't always like sipping but I did it because that was the post op rules. I do occasionally take bigger sips when I'm trying to get in my fluids before I go to bed and I'm tired. But I have decided to no longer do that because it actually hurts my pouch. I get in over 100 oz of fluids a day. As time goes on, you'll be able to take bigger sips until it becomes regular normal drinks. But gulping is not necessary or good in the long run for your success. Be patient with your pouch and she will thank you. [emoji4] Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Good for you--for the weight/inches loss as well as the great shopping karma! Over literally the last week, I have moved from a size 22 to a loose size 20--and I have lost ZERO pounds in the interim. I didn't exactly believe the "if you're not losing weight, you're losing inches" thing, but in my case, it's 100% true. Thanks for the reminder of Goodwill--I think of them often as I put together yet another bag of too-big clothing, but for some reason, I don't think about shopping there. DUH! Meg

hang in there guys! you'll be eating before you know it! what are you required liquid and mushy times?i was on mushies at discharge and stayed on them until my two week post op appointment then was able to eat some solids...

I agree, I'm on full liquids this week so it's a teeny bit better than just clear liquids but I'm so hungry. My stomach growls all day long and I catch myself chewing my liquids lol. Tomorrow I'm going to buy some spicy soup from a local Chinese restaurant and strain it, still not actual food but it's going to taste a lot better than the broth I have been eating. I'm actually looking forward to starting mushies on Monday so I can have chicken salad and eggs!

Thanks phatkatblue...my dr requires first five days of clear liquids..no soups or anything..then two weeks of just three protein shakes a day and clear liquids..again no soup broth yogurt...i start mushies for dinner only on may 7th

Needless to say, the death of my friend really lead to the trashing of my pre-op diet. It's been a week now, and it's time for me to deal with my pain properly, and not with food. I've decided that this is life, and life will always happen, and food is to nourish me so that I can HAVE life, food itself IS NOT LIFE!!! I have 7 pounds to loose before August 15th,my pre-op followup with the nurse practitioner. If I have lost 7 lbs by that date, that's the day they set my surgery date!!! Everything is moving much faster than I thought that it would! I know that I am going to have no problems losing the weight, it's the insurance approval I'm freaking about! Death has become a reality to me since Vicky's funeral, and the consequences of surgery gone wrong are weighing on me now. But I am just going to trust in Jesus, and know that I'm in his hands, no matter what... Also, statistically, the odds of me dying in surgery as the youngest patient with the lowest BMI they've ever had, when they've never lost a patient before,are very VERY slim... trying to make myself feel better...lol.

I was scheduled for 10:00 A.M. surgery but got there at 8 A.M. as requested. My doctor was ahead of schedule so I was immediately called in to get prepped, I.V. etc. I wasn't too nervous once the IV was in place. I detest IV insertions. :faint: More worried about that than the actual surgery. I have had numerous surgeries since 9 months of age. I was told by anesthesiologist that he would give me something to relax me and the next thing I know I'm being wheeled to my hospital room. I saw my husband waiting there and was very happy. I stayed one night. My sister gave me a bear that said BELIEVE on his paws and on the ribbon around his neck. I keep him close to remind me to believe in myself. I can do this. Shortly after returning from surgery my husband and I called family members to let them know all went well. I was very eager to walk because I heard about the pain from C02 gas used to inflate stomach for lap. surgery. I wasn't going to have any of that pain if I could prevent it. The walking worked, no shoulder/chest pain. Just soreness from surgical site. I tried to drink lots of water but guess I overdid it and started to get nauseated. Almost vomited but eventually only burped. :help: That's what I get for talking on the phone and drinking water. :hungry: Clear liquid diet of broth, SF Jello, SF popsicle. WATER!! Hardly slept because other patient in my room came in and she was in pain from her surgery (not lap-band). Nurses in and out constantly. I took naps the next morning. I was out. Then my doctor came to see me and I woke up. A woman from church came and gave me communion and I totally forgot I wasn't supposed to have solids. So after a few minutes I was relieved that I did'nt have any problems. I guess I didn't think of receiving communion as eating. Day 3,4 & 5 I was extremely hungry. I was back on pre-op diet of protien drinks, 3/day. They had kept me pretty full during pre-op but post op I was so hungry, it hurt. I even took Tums to try and stop the hunger pangs. I just keep telling myself it will be worth it. This is temporary. That thought gets me through the day. I actually went up a little immediately post op probably due to water retention. I'm starting to lose weight once again. Hooray!:clap2: My sister and family members said "I thought you weren't supposed to get hungry with Lap-band.'' I explained again about the fills and that I won't be getting first fill for 4 weeks. I think everyone is starting to understand how this will work. They keep forgetting I'm not supposed to eat solid food so they'll ask if I want a burger or a peach. I gotta love them though because I know they mean well. So this doesn't bother me one bit. This has been a big change for them as well.:scared::hug:

I am so glad I found this site so I can read and learn about other people's experiences. I know each of us are feeling the same anxiety and excitement about getting banded or being banded. I can't wait for my turn. I just found out I have to take 2 one-hour classes called Journey 1 and Journey 2. Anyone else have these classes? Since I will be starting the gym next week on the 28th, I had to go out to purchase some gym attire. Thank goodness for WalMart - who wants to spend money on new clothes when, with any luck, I will lose a lot of weight rather quickly and the stuff will be too big. I am so looking forward to my new and improved body and self esteem. bye for now

I am going to see my first set of Doctors next week and I am getting a bit nervous that they will find something wrong with me and I will not be able to get the band. I was wondering what kind of things would cause me not to qualify for the lap band. I have heard of so many conflicting things. and I know this should be a question for my surgeon but I forgot to ask. Also, did everyone have to have a stress test before getting their band. If so what is it like. Thanks so much. Amy

Do you have pain meds? Or even Tylenol? No sense in being a hero and fighting through the pain, that's what the meds are for I definitely had one spot on my left side (actually a little below an incision) that has been giving me trouble. I'm just over three weeks out, and the last two days have been the first days when I've been almost completely pain free. Good luck, and I hope you feel better soon! ~*~ Find me on YouTube: Trisha's Sleeve Story ~*~

You can do it!! No matter how sore you are in the morning work through the next workout. You will feel better after working out even if you are extremely sore. It does get better and soon you will be amazed at how much better you do on each workout and the results you see. As for sore muscles try stretching a little more but the best thing is to just rest and do it again tomorrow. You'll probably be sore for a good week but it's that good I kicked some butt sore. Be proud of yourself every time you wince from the pain. (I did Insanity twice and loved it)