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Hi. I was sleeved on 1/17. The guidelines from my clinic is a liquid diet for 4 weeks post-surgery and then a pureed phase for two weeks. I couldn't imaging eating beans or applesause (well maybe applesauce, but it is not on my list of approved foods yet and I'm certainly not going off my approved list) at this point. Beans at least seems like too much substance or too strong to put in your new stomach. The 4 week liquid phase is to let your stomach heal. However, it sounds like you are doing great. You can check me out on my blog, if you'd like. I wish for you all the best and continued success.

I was also sleeved on the 17th... Week 1- liquid Week 2- full liquids Week 3-6- Mushy foods Week 7- Soft foods Im eating things like Tuna, chicken salad, egg salad, scrambled eggs

Your nose drips, because your vagus nerve has been stimulated through the action of eating. If you sneeze, get hiccups, your nose drips, it is generally an indicator that you have eaten enough and you should stop. Don't fear, it won't last for too long. Mine went at about the 6 week mark, I think.

Big congrats you have done well, newly banded here. Hope I'm as successful as you your success gives us hope. right now I'm averaging 7-8 lbs a week, I know it will slow down eventually but happy and excited about the weight loss so far. Cant wait to get to onederland been a long time coming lol. Keep up the good work and keep us posted on your continued success.

I hate the gym but am always happy when I'm done. I started working with a personal trainer two days per week and he puts me through one grueling exercise after another. Each day is different so I am never bored; just trying not to scream or cry. I hate it at the time but afterwards I am always proud of myself. I even did push ups and pullups one day. Shocking.

Hey Q...ltns..how the heck are ya? I've been chuggin right along...not as fast as i want the weight to drop off..but i have to remember i didn't gain it overnight sooo i can't lose it that way either. I go to a gym on post and they offer Zumba. I LOVE IT!! I also got the DVD's but it's so much more fun to do it with other people. It also keeps me on my toes, whereas, at home i can cheat and not finish the whole dance! heehee. Is there a curves in your town? they have an awesome workout which also includes zumba! I used to go to a gym but didn't really know which machines to use and i didn't want to pay for a trainer! Oh i also walk a mile and a half three times a week. So far the easiest and best exercise on any budget coz it's FREE!! anyway...good luck to ya! keep me posted! you look great in your photo btw..i can tell in your face already~! Fran

Okay so I literally JUST realized that I am one pound away from losing half of what I need to lose! OMG! That's a crazy thought! In less than 4 months!! I hope to keep going at this rate, but I'll be realistic. I know weight loss tends to slow down as you go along. On top of that, I have 4 more pounds to lose to finally be under 200. That's totally awesome. I love my band so much! I mentioned in the title "problems." Some of this is TMI, so if you don't want to read it, you can click out. However, I wanted to share to see if anyone else has experienced something similar. I often found myself stuck on in the bathroom trying to have a BM. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't. This morning, it was for 40 minutes and I was unsuccessful. LOL. Sorry, I have to laugh or I'll realize how disgusting this really is. Anyways, I was late to work by 15 minutes because of my issue. This isn't the first time either. It's just kind of ridiculous. I eat prunes and I've been trying to drink more water. I'm trying to take the natural route before I implement any kind of medicine. Tomorrow is my next fill appointment. My doc usually leaves me the option to choose whether I want a fill or not. As always, I'm not sure! I usually fill out a chart, but honestly, that doesn't really help. It asks me what I eat. I purposely choose not to eat sweets, pastas and bread, so me checking no on that doesn't necessarily mean I don't need a fill. It just means I know how to make better choices. Anyways, last week, I did get stuck a little bit and had to throw up. Also, Saturday, I was not able to finished my broiled crab cake. I've also lost 12 pounds this past month. However, there have been meals where I know I could have finished it if I wanted to. Meaning, no restriction. I still feel restriction every so often, but not enough that I feel completely confident in telling my doctor I don't want a fill. I am leaning more towards getting the fill. The way I see it, if I'm too tight, I'll just go back for a little unfill. I want consistent restriction, not hit or miss. Oh I've also noticed that I haven't been as hungry or been thinking about food as often. I have to remind myself to eat sometimes. Just my rambles! Feel free to chime in with any opinions or advice on anything I mentioned. Thanks!!

great job ! im down 25lbs in 3 months and just hit Onederland 2 days ago ! Wow ! its been 6 yrs since ive been there ! im not doing the couch to 5k program , but i found a extreme water fitness class that i attend 3-4 times a week. Not for sissies ! finding an exercise that i could stick with was key, and now im finding everything is easier from tying my shoes to walking to getting dressed. its nice when my formally too tight clothes are now too loose,and im getting compliments . when i could shimmy my pants off without unzipping them i knew i was on my way. congrats !!

I have to say, I am simply amazed by this journey thus far! I wanted to post my story (in a condensed version) for those of you who are thinking about getting this procedure or have just begun your journey. I have been overweight for as long as I can remember. I just ate what I wanted, and enjoyed it very much. I had little to no concern about my health. I remember in middle school, I would sit in my bedroom closet just eating a can of icing. How disturbing is that?! I finally started thinking about WLS about a year ago. My highest weight was 259 LBS. Although I didn't have any health issues, I had began to miss my monthly visitor (sorry for the TMI). This really concerned me because I desperately want children in my future and I knew that the direction I was going in would make that difficult. I went to meet with a surgeon, and got the ball rolling! My insurance required that I meet with a nutrionist for 6 months before surgery. Those 6 months just FLEW by! However, I had not originally planned on getting the Lapband. My heart was set on getting the Vertical Sleeve. A week before surgery, my Insurance Cordinator gave me a call saying that my insurance will not cover that surgery as I needed to have a BMI of 50. I was really far off. However, I COULD get the Lapband. So after crying my eyes out all day, I decided that this is how it was supposed to be and I agreed to get the Lapband. It was the best decision of my life! I stayed one night in the hospital. It was my first surgery ever, and was relatively easy. The only difficult part was that I felt more comfortable resting in a chair than I did in the bed. I did not sleep much that night. Also, the first time they got me up to walk, I thought I was going to throw up and/or pass out. It got better. Today, it is exactly 4 months since my surgery, which I got on November 21st 2011. Today, I am exactly 60 pounds lighter. Today, I am FINALLY in Onderland (199 pounds)!! It has been simply amazing! I have had 2 fills. My doctor decided to hold off on another one due to the amount of weight I have lost. My weight loss has slowed down a bit, but I am still losing about 2 pounds a week. I will probably ask for another fill when I see him next month. I know everyone says this, but the band really is a tool that YOU have to use. I believe you have to want to put some effort into this before even getting the surgery or it won't work for you. Your mind has to be in the right spot. You have to WANT to change. You have to be willing to give up some of the foods you love or at least only have them on a very rare occasion. You have to be willing to work out. I guess its possible to lose weight without working out, but you will lose more slowly and you may end up looking disproportionate. Thanks to the band, better choices, and the gym, I have lost 60 pounds. I never thought I would be here. I love to work out as it makes me feel so much better and I have so much more energy. I also do the Couch to 5K Program. I strongly suggest this program to anyone and everyone! Although I am only in the 4th week (9 weeks total) I am seeing an improvement. My thighs are smaller, I have lost inches, and I am more fit! Since my surgery, I have also lost 2 inches on my neck, 7 inches on my waist, and 6 inches on my hips. Oh, I also use myfitnesspal like a fanatic! Feel free to add me on there. My username is legnarevocrednu. Also, feel free to message me on here if you have any questions. Good luck to all of you on your journey! I still have about 54 pounds to lose, but I'm glad that I could finally post my story as a success!!

So, I got a speeding ticket this morning. Isn't that super awesome!! :thumbup: Honestly though, I was going 76 mph in a 60 mph zone, so I totally deserved it. The only thing that makes me mad about the whole thing is that that motorcycle cop is there EVERY morning and I KNOW BETTER! Oh well, it is what it is. I'm feeling much better today! The respiratory infection has faded for the most part. Jazzercise was tough last night, but I definitely felt better when it was over. It is nice to be in enough shape that I don't feel like I'm killing myself the first day back after a break! Today I'm taking it up a notch and I'm doing my 2 mile hill run at lunch and Jazzercise tonight. I only have a non-running lunch work out tomorrow (maybe the bike?) so I should be able to push it out today. I was hungry yesterday. After breakfast, it didn't take too long until I was hungry for lunch. We went to Mi Cocina to meet my parents and I was worried that I would need to eat too much. But my mom & I shared a nacho plate and I ate three nachos with sour cream and guacamole. So, not too bad. In fact, it held me until very late in the afternoon and I didn't get hungry until about 4pm when I had some greek yogurt. I was a little hungry when I went to Jazzercise, but it wasn't horrible. When I got home, I fixed goodies for dinner. (My niece's favorite meal is what she calls goodies, which is bascially a collection of snacks, like apples, pretzels, peanut butter and cheese.) I had just less than a 1/2 c of potato salad, a boiled egg, 10 crackers and 5 pieces of cheese (roughly 3 oz, I think.) I finished the potato salad and egg, but I left 2 crackers and a piece of cheese. I didn't seem to have any "restriction" in the sense that there was no issues with anything going down, however, I did have "restriction" in the sense that I was full after eating a reasonable amount of food. So, I did well yesterday. The trick is stopping when I'm full. I've not been good at that historically and is something I need to work on. So, goals for the week...drink water! And stop eating when I'm full. PS: My new item of the day that I'm wearing...electric blue flats with a row of sequence around the top. Very flirty, but practical too. Have a great day!!

Yes, must look sassy in the Big Easy :-). Congrats on your sizes and have an awesome week!!!

Thanks for all the feedback yesterday! Two weeks from Saturday, I will have the cut. So, stay tuned, I'm sure there will be pics by October 18th!! I watched the Biggest Loser last night. I know that it is the most realistic approach to weight loss seeing that we wouldn't have time to work out 8-10 hours a day. But I just love seeing what people can do. The first thing that struck me is that I'm not sure if I could do a Biggest Loser work out! I work out a lot, but what they were doing was amazing. I was so proud of myself for jogging on a 5.0 incline yesterday for 30 seconds. She was having them at a 7.0 incline for longer!! I realize they are puking and I don't push myself to that point, but it is still amazing what you can do if someone is pushing you and you are receptive. Second thing that struck me was when one of the guys had a bit of a breakdown and he questioned how he had gotten there. That really struck home for me. I grew up "the fat girl." Looking at the pictures from my past, I wasn't that big. Even my dad said to me that when he looks back at old pictures he doesn't remember me being that small. I think part of it was that I weigh heavy. I was roughly the same size as some of my friends, but I weighed a good 20-30 pounds more than they did. That remains true today. My mom & I are wearing the same size clothes (for the most part), but she weighs over 40 pounds less than I do. So I think that we had a mindset from the beginning that I was FAT, when maybe I wasn't really. Then I think we (I) became so focused on it. I went to my first Weight Watchers meeting in 4th grade. At the time, I just wanted to be smaller, but in retrospect, there were probably better ways to focus my attention. I was on NutriSystem in high school and I consistently snuck food. My parents found out and (rightly so) got angry for wasting money. I just felt like a big, fat failure. I remember going to fast food restaurants with my family and my brother ordered french fries, but I couldn't. Now I wonder if I really wasn't allowed to, or if I just felt too guilty (fat) to order them. I honestly do not know. When I got to college, I ate whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted it. However, my Freshman year I didn't have a car and I walked all over the place, including to my job which was several blocks away from campus. My sophomore year I had a car, but by December I had moved into the Sorority quad which in my case meant a 4th floor walk up! I think walking those 3 flights of stairs multiple times a day kept me in check through the end of my junior year. My senior year I moved off campus. I was only a block away from where I was before, but it was on the first floor and instead of walking to classes, I drove. It was ridiculous and I'm quite sure that I gained 40-50 pounds that year. I entered college around 185 and I left college around 250. I fluctuated between 200 and 260 for 13 years until I decided I had enough. I have been to Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig. I have worked out, taken pills prescribed by the doctor and over the counter. I have done Atkins and South Beach. But nothing worked or it did for a little while until I couldn't stay at it. In November 2009 I weighed a whopping 285 pounds. I weighed more that my (hefty) dad. It was hard at the time to see how I got there, but now it doesn't matter. I have a tool that actually works for me! I am working hard, but I'm successful! I have another 6-12 months of weight loss to go, but I'm not at all intimidated by that. That's a first! For the first time, I'm in control! And it feels darn good. I'm over 70 pounds down since January and I fully expect to be under 200 by Thanksgiving! I would like to have lost 100 pounds by 1/31/10. Even if I don't make every goal, I'm going in the right direction and THAT is enough to keep me moving!! Anyway, I was a little "rambly" today, but The Biggest Loser will do that for me. Have a great day, y'all!!

Good morning. Well, I need some guidance. It has been 3 weeks since I was banded. I have to say it has not been all that bad. I seem to be tolerating food without any problems...no vomiting, no tightness within my band, nothing like that. Do have a couple of questions, tho. I am scheduled for a fill on 9/19 (it will be my first one). But, until I reach that very special "green zone" it is normal for me go eat my 1/2 cup of food, and not really be satiated? I have cut down considereably, and try to stay within the amount allotted, but found that I am not losing weight. In fact, even put on a couple of pounds, then took them off. Do any of you use a protein drink in the place of a meal? I am one person who I know cannot eat very many carbs, (it seems as if I crave them,) and even when I eliiminate them, I have a really hard time losing weight. I am not a big breakfast eater, so usually have a protein drink there, then eat lunch and dinner. If I eat cream of wheat for breakfast, or oatmeal, therein, lies the battle. Any advise?

Well, they're going to be very important during the 2 week (varies by surgeon) liquid diet that follows the VSG surgery. I think that if we didn't have any protein drinks, it'd be very very difficult to meet the very important goal of 60-80g of protein per day when we're not allowed solid food.

Walk walk walk walk!!!! That's the best. I wore out a path in my house I think! Lol. I can't take gas x bc it has sucralose( Splenda) in it so I found other brands but not sure it really did much. Walking and small sips of water and a heating pad when I wasn't walking. I just started feeling better yesterday and today Is my 2 week bandaversary. two weeks seems to be the norm for feeling alive again.

I have started my soft foods phase and I seem to be gaining not losing. I have gained back 3 pounds since my 2 week post -op weigh in with the doctor. I am wondering if I need to go back to just drinking shakes,soups and water. I have gone back to work so I am not able to walk as often as when I was off from work.:omg: I also seem to be getting hungry where I never really felt that during my 1st 2 weeks. I admit I have been eating more veggies than protein(creamed spinach, and steamed spinach):cry just seemed like I was really craving veggies. I have had some sliced turkey breast from the deli and canned tuna.Mostly get my protein from the shakes or isopure drink.

Hang in there....I felt the same feelings you are having I had a fill in May - lost 10lbs the first week and 1/2 then nothing for 6 weeks...asked my doc for a 1/2 cc (total of 8) and can tell a difference. Do I still have to stop myself from picking pu the bag of chocolate and devouring it - you bet I do...but thankfully with the lap band I CAN DO IT!!!! It helps me make better, healthier decisions....and for that I am forever thankful. Do I still get feelings of doubt? I sure do...but I also know that if I eat healthy and continue to take my daily walks that I CAN and WILL lose this weight I've carried all my life. You will find this forum to be very helpful and encouraging. So keep coming back here when you have questions/fears/anxieties...

Please NO Guilt! Sure you could have picked something a little better but No guilt. Just learn and go on. Good luck remember this is for a life time not a couple weeks. There will be times we just need taco bell it is learning to not want 2 tacos and a burito.

I stalled weeks 2 and 3 post-op. During week 4, I dropped six lbs. As djmohr said, just stick to the program - the stall will end and you'll start dropping weight again

Thanks! I'm meeting with the surgeon today for my 1st visit. As of this morning I weighed enough with clothes on... and I was slightly shy without... I swear overnight all the eating I've done this week just showed up on me :-) Crossing my fingers. Good luck on your journey :-D

Who I am now isn't so important as how I came to be this person, wife, mother, grandmother, sister. The history is what formed me, challenged me to overcome, compelled me to do better than those who came before me. I was born near the mid-point of the last century, in a large western US city. My parents married because they had conceived me when my mom was 16. My birth father was 19. As it turned out, he was a violent paranoid schizophrenic and a pedophile. My mom was later Dx with Borderline Personality disorder. I won't go into detail, suffice it to say that my earliest memories are horrific. My two younger brothers and I suffered the abuse and neglect until I was 9 1/2 years old, when a neighbor girl was assaulted by my birth father, he was arrested and sent to a state psychiatric hospital for treatment. I was taken in to protective custody for four days, while my mother was investigated and cleared of complicity in my abuse. He was not allowed within 300 miles of me, upon his release, 4 years later. When I was 14, he committed suicide. My mom had remarried in 1960 to a wonderful man I refer to as Dad. He earned my trust, respect and love. They had two more little boys in the two years following their marriage. My Dad died of sleep apnea in 1978, we were all devastated and heartbroken...it was the undoing of my mom and my dearest brother. My mom turned to scotch for comfort, inviting my 17 year old brother to be her drinking partner. My mom died 8 miserable years later of pancreatic cancer. Those 8 years were awful, watching my mom decline, my brothers suffer. She raged constantly, told me often that I had no idea of her pain, her suffering. She made life a living hell for her family and circle of friends. She was diagnosed and died in 12 short weeks later. My brother died 14 years later, the victim of a predatory female who took advantage of his alcoholism, a recent injury, subbed his Rx pain Meds with extra strength Tylenol. Took him 3 weeks to die of liver failure, on our dad's birthday. My heart was broken. This brother was the first male I had in my life who loved me unconditionally. He was born when I was 11 and he was like a son to me. He was my husband's best buddy, my kids favorite uncle, everybody loved him. Yes, he was an alcoholic, very high functioning, but losing him was the saddest event of my life to date. My brother has been gone for 12 years...I think of him every day. I remember my little grandkids running up to the car when I'd arrive at their house, all four of them would climb in the car hugging me, asking me "...is you sad? Did your Brubbie die? Sorry *****, usses loves you! ". They did this for months, until I finally told them I felt better because they healed my broken heart. I have 8 grandkids 6 teens, 2 in their twenties. The youngest 4 are all the same age, 3 identical girls and a boy. I am blessed. Of my four siblings, two have passed. The oldest, died at age 51 as a transient. He inherited the mental illness genes and I never saw him after my mother's death. The next oldest lives in NM, his mind ravaged by years of alcohol and drug abuse. We have minimal contact thru FB. The youngest has never been able to form healthy relationships with anyone...I see him once per year when he comes to visit. He misses his big brother too. He tells me that his true home is wherever I am. I wish my mom had let me take him when he was 15 and she went on her 8 year binge. So...this is my emotional history, in a nutshell. The other stuff doesn't matter, except to say that my family is healthy, successful and happy. We celebrate often, mourn together when the time comes and love and support each other faithfully. My kids have all been married to their HS sweethearts for over 20 years each. We have done better than the generation before us...the bar was low on my side, but my husband and his family were great role models. I'm thankful every day for their love, support and example. I miss them painfully.

Hey Maddie, Hope it goes well for you. They say it really helps. I just got mine 1 week ago. I'm still trying to get used to it. Good luck to you

My surgery is in 3 days, and I need to start thinking about the crucial component for taking advantage of the honeymoon period of weight loss--exercise. I am a total exercise wimp. I hate it. I hate it because it hurts my knees, I have bad balance, and I find it mind-numbingly boring. So here's what I've done to ease myself into it. I decided that I wanted something that I could do at home (I live in a cold climate and there's no way I'm driving to Curves in a blizzard). I ordered a DVD set, "The All New Zumba Fitness: Latin Workout Routine" It has 4 DVDs of varyiing difficulty. It's basically "dancercise" to Latin music like samba, tango, macumba etc. I figure this will be less boring that watching some perky aerobicized blonde bouncing around in ways that make my low-impact self cringe. I wanted something I could DO. It looks like I can start the "Beginners" DVD pretty much right after surgery (taking it easy of course) and step it up a bit until I reach the 6 week point, where I am allowed to do strenuous exercise. At 6 weeks, I have another DVD to add in: "Walk at Home" which I plan to do for a half hour every morning. Hopefully by then I'll be a little lighter and it won't hurt so much. It's at that point that I have to start thinking about a gym for arms, etc. But I'm taking this one step at a time and so I'm not going to worry about the gym today. I'll worry about it tomorrow.

The behavior counselor insisted that I go to this support group after surgery last night and on a monthly bases. I did not know what to expect but I didn't expect a infomercial. What I got from it was two people advertising their services. Spent a whole hour being told what a life coach does for you for $600 a month once a week over the phone(Chat line). If every month there's a new person with a service for sale then I won't go. It wasn't til the end that three people was asked to stand and tell how much weight they lost, for how long and explain what keeps them going.