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Did you go through with it? I really like him too and have my surgery scheduled for 10/28.

Hello James, Thank you so much for sharing that information. It was very informative and you look great. It has been 10 months for me since I had gastric bypass and have many challenges. I am definitely going to keep this maintain a phase in mind. I am in my goal weight due to TPN that I receive because before I was underweight due to all my complications. I have gained a few pounds but I am where I am suppose to me. I still having problems keeping food down most of the time. I wonder if I am doing something wrong.

I am 10 years out from my sleeve surgery. I came to give an update (I used to love them when I was new!) and a warning. Update - I weighed 275 at surgery and now weigh 177. My weight varies within a 5 pound window. I don't worry about it, don't think about it, and rarely weigh except at the doctors office. It took several years to relax and get to the point of stepping away from the scales. My stomach has not stretched. I can eat approx 1/3 to 1/2 cup at a time and eat 4 or 5 times a day. Cautionary tale - I have eaten as I was told to do, always putting protein first. I take vitamins. I try to go for nutritious veggies after protein. After 2 years of feeling awful I now know that I AM MINERAL DEFICIENT! It's a long story about how I found out, but I now have concrete results from hair tissue mineral analysis plus extensive blood work. Mineral deficiencies are rampant in the population, not just bariatric patients, but we are more susceptible due to our diets. Our soils are depleted of minerals so our food is as well. It's not just about, for example, being calcium deficient. It's about the ratio of all the essential minerals like magnesium, iron, etc. They have to be in balance for them to work. So taking calcium supplements or iron or whatever aren't doing any good if the rest isn't there for them to work with. (hope that made a little sense) You aren't going to hear this from most doctors, it usually takes a functional doctor to be willing to dive into this. One symptom was passing out whenever I got hot. I was taken by ambulance to the hospital twice for this. My "regular" doctor kept telling me I was dehydrated and to take potassium. (Note: I still drink 100 oz a day since surgery, how am I dehydrated). He was looking at basic blood work. Under his treatment I got worse. Once I had all the tests done, I have almost too much potassium but practically no magnesium and low salt, both are needed to interact with the potassium. Good news - This can be reversed. I am telling everyone I know to start supplementing trace minerals. It's easy, I use a few drops of trace mineral concentrate in my water all day. Due to my deficiencies I take some other mineral supplements but that is the main secret sauce. And it's so easy! I feel like I have come back to life!! That's probably way more than you wanted to know. I'll be quiet now. LOL I just hope I help to keep someone else from going down this path.

Thanks so much for all the words of encouragement! I am 10 weeks out! I always get down like this after I have several days in a row of what I call "food hates me days" It's Water, it's anything i put in my mouth! I get frustrated and exhausted! No I do not eat late at night! I try to stay on the eat a little bit every 3 hours rule. I try to follow the rules. when it doesn't work that's when I get whiny and frustrated! I knew you guys here would have words to get me out of this funk! You are all correct!

@@newlifeb I am so sorry to hear of your pain, I have 10 days to go my surgery is scheduled for the 17th. I'm so new at this I have no advice to give.. Did you do everything you were supposed to, drinking your clear liquids? How's that working for you now, are you holding anything down or vomiting at all?

I'm feeling good now. I lost 20 lbs originally, but now my body is in the dreaded 3-week stall. The Japanese docs insist on a slightly longer post-op diet--two weeks of thin liquids followed by two of thicker. Currently, I'm drinking fruit/yogurt smoothies for Breakfast and lunch, and blender-processed Soup or curry for dinner. The smoothies can be bought at local convenience stores, and I supplement them with whey Protein. I'll be really happy when I'm allowed to eat soft solids again in 10 days. As for exercise, my NUT is really insisting on anaerobic exercise, not walking or biking. He's prescribed me a testosterone infused lipid blocker (called Lipokine), and in a couple weeks, he wants to start testosterone steroid injections. He really wants me to pick up as much muscle as I can while I shed weight .The idea is that he doesn't want me looking like a normal guy wearing a big suit of flappy skin (and I don't want that either). So, long story short, yes, I'm able to do weightlifting, but only as long as I focus on back/biceps, chest/triceps, and legs/shoulders. No abdominal exercises yet, and if anything is remotely painful for my stomach, I'm supposed to stop doing that right away. I used to live in Stuttgart when I was younger, so I know what you're talking about. It's been strange living in Japan for the past 8 years, always being (as you say) the fattest person in the room. The nice thing about being a foreigner in Japan, however, is that no matter what, you're always going to be the strangest person in the room simply because you're not Japanese. Being fat in Japan is like having a slightly more ridiculous clown nose to go with the rest of the clown outfit that all foreigners are imagined to wear. Japanese people aren't too shy to point out the fact that I weigh too much--they commonly ask my weight and openly wonder if American food did this too me--but they don't do it judgmentally at all. They seem to like the distinctiveness that I bring into their ordinary world. I had an attractive Japanese gf for a year who loved my body shape. Most of my friends here are fellow foreigners, from the US, Aus, GB or Canada. However, I have few Japanese friends too. I'd have more J-friends, but I'm not all that social and am rarely interested in the things they're typically interested in, e.g. Japanese pop-music, television, baseball or soccer.

Adding: My dietician put me on a really strict plan that should have me losing a pound a day. As of this morning, I've lost 10 pounds since Tuesday! I have followed it to the letter. I'm trying to make my required goal by the 15th of October so they'll schedule my surgery for the 4th of November. I have 20.7 pounds to go!

I am 10 days Post Op. I have lost 18 pounds. I was told to continue on thickened liquids and Protein drinks. I cannot drink the Protein Drinks and dont like any of the thickened liquids...Can anyone give me some advice. Thanks Monica

Banded 5-4-10, doing better each day. Last week was first week for solids, but I had something funky going on like some swelling or something, and didn't do so well. So far this week has been better. I've had soft-scrambled eggs, baked chicken tenders, baked fish... but my most favorite was a SALAD!! Took forever to make it because i hand chopped each ingredient. it was almost like confetti! but it was delicious and I loved every bite. Bought some Tyson fully-cooked mesquite chicken strips (like for fajitas) and put a couple of those plus a boiled egg on the salad, so it was full of protein too. YummEEE!!! I am scheduled for a fill in one week, but not sure I need it, as I am not hungry, I'm losing weight, and if I'm not extremely careful with taking tiny bites and chewing the hound out of everything, it is really uncomfortable to eat. So Ill just have to talk to the doc and see what he thinks. So far I have avoided bandster hell, but my day may be coming. I'm just enjoying the band right now. Good luck to all you other May Bandsters!!!

In the part I, I had discussed briefly about how most of the small businesses go about selecting a product, whereas a successful small businessmen would be careful and would evaluate the product based on various aspects listed below before making a choice. I will relist all the important factors, which one should consider before buying an ecommerce product (www.ritecart.co.uk) or software for their company. 1.Ease of configuration 2.Ability to Scale 3.Useful latest features 4.Available marketing tools with the product 5.Ability to analyze data (analytics, not only google analytics!!) 6.Reports 7.Integration (with other modules, Like epos with near realtime online/offline synchronization of data and other packaged application ) 8.Customer Service 9.Technical Support 10.Technical Implementation Aspects 11.Build vs Buy Ease of Configuration- It is very important that the product is configurable and suited for one’s current needs and future needs, Like some of the things one may want to determine that how easy it is to ·Add products, categories and catalogs. Can this be dynamically created using administrative tool and dynamically displayed on the user side? Can it support multiple images with different resolution to be displayed on the user side? ·Look and manage all the orders placed by the administrator? Before placing the order, does it check for inventories? Does it notify the administrators, if the inventories go below a threshold value? Can the administrator mix and match the shipment to the customer? ·Create new sales store and new warehouses for inventories? Can the store’s inventory be picked up from different warehouses? ·Define several types of prices for the same product like list price, default price, component price, sale price etc? Can the price be dynamically setup using a rules engine? ·Associate a product with host of features like size, color, height, width, UOM, density, length etc? Can the product be setup and shown on the user side on any of the feature mentioned above or any of your new custom features? ·Return an order, look at shopping list/wish list, browse through the items last visited, go to most popular products in store, discounted product or special product in store, look at promotional products, place a review on the product, recommend a product or provide a valuable feedback and look at the products which are most sought by the people who had brought the same product as the customer in past? ·Can I select or add a new payment processor easily? I may want to use PayPAL today but I may need GoogleCheck out tomorrow. How many Payment engines does the product support? ·Customize my shipment company or add a new shipping company? Can I integrate directly with ups, RoyalMail, USPS, Fedex etc? Ability to Scale customer support is all the more important. Make sure that eCommerce software provider does provide with the elements you need to keep an online business operating at its peak level at all times. Does the vendor offer notifications regarding product updates or enhancements, personalized service, and technical support? Is there an option for an online help with live chat and IP2IP calling (www.supportnow.biz)? Keep in mind that the eCommerce solution provider should offer the same individualized service that one would want to give to his customers. Technical Support In the same vein, one shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to get someone to aid you if there is a problem with your online store—so make sure the service providers have experienced, reliable technical support and are committed to fixing a coding error or bug quickly. Quality counts; be assured that your ecommerce service provider (www.palindromesoftware.com) has people behind and are equally committed to quality and the customer experience as you are. Technical Implementation Aspects This is one of the most neglected factors by the ecommerce customer community. Remember, Ignorance is not always bliss. it is important to understand that the product development technology plays a vital role in defining product features, customization, support and ease of product usage. It is fairly common these days to use a scripting language to build products because that is the easiest way to build a product for the product supplier!! I encourage customers to ask some specific questions, to name a few ·How can I customize the product behavior? Does it use XML or Property files? ·How can I change my query? Can I change without looking into the code? ·How can I change the content? ·Can my Home page flash dynamically pick up product images, price and other details from my database ·What language is used for development for product? Scripting language like PHP and others are a huge no, no. Make sure that your product is built using a software language like Java or .NET (most preferred ones) ·Can I add more modules to my product? How simple is it? Is the development Object Oriented Our product RiteCart (www.ritecart.co.uk) is built using robust MVC/Struts framework, which is modular, extensible and configurable. Technologies used in this product are Java, XML, BSH. Build vs. Buy Over the period of time, this has become one of my favorite customer questions. Build or Buy? I usually answer this by asking a question- how much ROI do you expect out of your ecommerce investment and product? Building is an expensive option (not from cost point of view but from ROI Point of view). You can build your solution using one of these options 1.Build with a good reliable vendor onsite (with or without an open source solution) 2.Build with a good vendor offshore 3.Build with a small vendor onsite/offshore 4.Go for your own development with some open source tools Point 1, 2 &3 are feasible but one should ask himself the following questions, is the cost feasible? Will the vendor understand all the functional needs of the ecommerce solution? How long has the vendor been in the ecommerce solution market? Will the solution be ever built? Will it work as per expectations? Can the software vendor be relied upon? How much time will it take? What impact does it have on my business if it is not delivered to my satisfaction? Finally for option 4, if you decide to pursue an open-source application to manage your store, make sure to thoroughly research and examine your options. Is the project continuously updated, or has it been stagnant for a long time, with very few updates on the project and very little news as to where it is headed? Several open-source solutions are released every year. However, very few have the longevity that you will need to be used as a foundation for your online store. Examine the programmers behind it, and others who use the program. Buying option is a much easier option. One can feel and see the solution. One can make sure that he has got everything in the product he needs. Also, he can be rest assured that the company has the required functional, technical and support expertise to support all of his needs. Finally, look at the company that’s behind your eCommerce solution (www.ritecart.co.uk). What have they done in the past? Are they a growing enterprise, likely to continually make improvements to their firm, and pass on those benefits to you? When considering a package, make sure that the company you are dealing with is credible, with a solid reputation to back up any claims. See where your customer and technical support will come from. Is it in-house or out-sourced? Do they have a solid, supportive community in the form of a forum, blog, or network of satisfied eCommerce businesses (www.ritecart.co.uk)? Examine the philosophy behind the company. Ask for references or email others, who’ve used their services in the past, and see what they have to say about the different aspects of the company you may be working with. These are the people who are going to help you build your business and make it a success; so choose wisely. Ritecart product (www.ritecart.co.uk) is sold in two flavors (Lite & enterprise). If you are looking for ecommerce software, Please request for a quotation from our Sales team. We have got the right product for you tagged with the right price!!! Author is working as a Senior Retail Analyst with Palindrome Software Labs (www.palindromesoftware.com).

In the part I, I had discussed briefly about how most of the small businesses go about selecting a product, whereas a successful small businessmen would be careful and would evaluate the product based on various aspects listed below before making a choice. I will relist all the important factors, which one should consider before buying an ecommerce product (www.ritecart.co.uk) or software for their company. 1.Ease of configuration 2.Ability to Scale 3.Useful latest features 4.Available marketing tools with the product 5.Ability to analyze data (analytics, not only google analytics!!) 6.Reports 7.Integration (with other modules, Like epos with near realtime online/offline synchronization of data and other packaged application ) 8.Customer Service 9.Technical Support 10.Technical Implementation Aspects 11.Build vs Buy Ease of Configuration- It is very important that the product is configurable and suited for one’s current needs and future needs, Like some of the things one may want to determine that how easy it is to ·Add products, categories and catalogs. Can this be dynamically created using administrative tool and dynamically displayed on the user side? Can it support multiple images with different resolution to be displayed on the user side? ·Look and manage all the orders placed by the administrator? Before placing the order, does it check for inventories? Does it notify the administrators, if the inventories go below a threshold value? Can the administrator mix and match the shipment to the customer? ·Create new sales store and new warehouses for inventories? Can the store’s inventory be picked up from different warehouses? ·Define several types of prices for the same product like list price, default price, component price, sale price etc? Can the price be dynamically setup using a rules engine? ·Associate a product with host of features like size, color, height, width, UOM, density, length etc? Can the product be setup and shown on the user side on any of the feature mentioned above or any of your new custom features? ·Return an order, look at shopping list/wish list, browse through the items last visited, go to most popular products in store, discounted product or special product in store, look at promotional products, place a review on the product, recommend a product or provide a valuable feedback and look at the products which are most sought by the people who had brought the same product as the customer in past? ·Can I select or add a new payment processor easily? I may want to use PayPAL today but I may need GoogleCheck out tomorrow. How many Payment engines does the product support? ·Customize my shipment company or add a new shipping company? Can I integrate directly with ups, RoyalMail, USPS, Fedex etc? Technical Support In the same vein, one shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to get someone to aid you if there is a problem with your online store—so make sure the service providers have experienced, reliable technical support and are committed to fixing a coding error or bug quickly. Quality counts; be assured that your ecommerce service provider (www.palindromesoftware.com) has people behind and are equally committed to quality and the customer experience as you are. Technical Implementation Aspects This is one of the most neglected factors by the ecommerce customer community. Remember, Ignorance is not always bliss. it is important to understand that the product development technology plays a vital role in defining product features, customization, support and ease of product usage. It is fairly common these days to use a scripting language to build products because that is the easiest way to build a product for the product supplier!! I encourage customers to ask some specific questions, to name a few ·How can I customize the product behavior? Does it use XML or Property files? ·How can I change my query? Can I change without looking into the code? ·How can I change the content? ·Can my Home page flash dynamically pick up product images, price and other details from my database ·What language is used for development for product? Scripting language like PHP and others are a huge no, no. Make sure that your product is built using a software language like Java or .NET (most preferred ones) ·Can I add more modules to my product? How simple is it? Is the development Object Oriented Our product RiteCart (www.ritecart.co.uk) is built using robust MVC/Struts framework, which is modular, extensible and configurable. Technologies used in this product are Java, XML, BSH. Build vs. Buy Over the period of time, this has become one of my favorite customer questions. Build or Buy? I usually answer this by asking a question- how much ROI do you expect out of your ecommerce investment and product? Building is an expensive option (not from cost point of view but from ROI Point of view). You can build your solution using one of these options 1.Build with a good reliable vendor onsite (with or without an open source solution) 2.Build with a good vendor offshore 3.Build with a small vendor onsite/offshore 4.Go for your own development with some open source tools Point 1, 2 &3 are feasible but one should ask himself the following questions, is the cost feasible? Will the vendor understand all the functional needs of the ecommerce solution? How long has the vendor been in the ecommerce solution market? Will the solution be ever built? Will it work as per expectations? Can the software vendor be relied upon? How much time will it take? What impact does it have on my business if it is not delivered to my satisfaction? Finally for option 4, if you decide to pursue an open-source application to manage your store, make sure to thoroughly research and examine your options. Is the project continuously updated, or has it been stagnant for a long time, with very few updates on the project and very little news as to where it is headed? Several open-source solutions are released every year. However, very few have the longevity that you will need to be used as a foundation for your online store. Examine the programmers behind it, and others who use the program. Buying option is a much easier option. One can feel and see the solution. One can make sure that he has got everything in the product he needs. Also, he can be rest assured that the company has the required functional, technical and support expertise to support all of his needs. Finally, look at the company that’s behind your eCommerce solution (www.ritecart.co.uk). What have they done in the past? Are they a growing enterprise, likely to continually make improvements to their firm, and pass on those benefits to you? When considering a package, make sure that the company you are dealing with is credible, with a solid reputation to back up any claims. See where your customer and technical support will come from. Is it in-house or out-sourced? Do they have a solid, supportive community in the form of a forum, blog, or network of satisfied eCommerce businesses (www.ritecart.co.uk)? Examine the philosophy behind the company. Ask for references or email others, who’ve used their services in the past, and see what they have to say about the different aspects of the company you may be working with. These are the people who are going to help you build your business and make it a success; so choose wisely. Ritecart product (www.ritecart.co.uk) is sold in two flavors (Lite & enterprise). If you are looking for ecommerce software, Please request for a quotation from our Sales team. We have got the right product for you tagged with the right price!!! Author is working as a Senior Retail Analyst with Palindrome Software Labs (www.palindromesoftware.com).

I'm also being banded March 10. The only liguid I have been having any luck with choking down is ISOPURE. I get it online from GNC. Each bottle has 40g of protein and some of the flavors taste pretty good. Good luck.

Hi There, I live in Southern Calif. too... I see my primary tomorrow and my insurance has a list of specialists also. I pray they are good ones to chose from. I was given Dr. Fobi's name from a girl at the grocery store. She had gastric bypass. Unsure if I want to do that... I've heard great success stories about lap band procedure. I'm Type II and on Lantus now. It has made me gain over 10 pounds since April. I can't wear my "skinny" jeans anymore. I'm 5'4 and 230 lbs. as of this morning. Very small on the bottom and I can wear 14W or 16W, but the top portion of my body is 2x or 20W. What made you decide on lap band? I don't eat a lot during the day or night, but I believe my Type II and now taking insulin has made my body resistant to losing 60 lbs. I'm frustrated. I've been thinking about WLS for years now. Plan to talk to my primary tomorrow. This will probably be the most important visit I've ever had with her.

My experience, and this is mines and no one else so, take this information at your own risk. First time I had a drink of alcohol was literally 10 days post surgery. It was new years eve and I had like two sips of super cheap champagne and I was very tipsy right away. I didn't have another drink of alcohol of any kind until a good year after that event. What I have noticed that with drinking is that it does depend on the drink that I am consuming and I can go from tipsy, to buzzed very quickly depending on the drink and strength of said drink. Shots (tequila, rum, and whiskey) are indeed one shot and done sort of drinks for me now. If I go beyond one of those, which I think the most I have had so far almost two years out of surgery was 3 shots in one evening within a 15 minute span of consuming all three shots, and I was very buzzed (lightly drunk). It took about an half and hour to an hours for that buzz to go away where I could feel "normal" again. What I have learned is that if I pace myself, usually only stick to one or two drinks max (on the hard stuff listed above), and sip them very slowly and moderately, that I can be alright. But again a mixed drink will now last me damn near an entire night vs pre surgery I could have K.O'ed quite a few of them before even feeling remotely buzzed let alone intoxicated. I personally don't like the get buzzed "high" quick feeling that drinking gives me especially if I am out at like a bar/public environment vs at home or at a trusted friends home. When I am out, I will stick to drinks like hard ciders or dare I say a Mike's Hard Lemonades sort of drink. Beer I really don't drink much of anymore and when I do its usually a stout and again only 1 now. Stouts tend to be heavier beers than your light lagers, and with more yeast and hops makes for a more fuller tummy experience. Wine, I just had recently for the first time in years, it was a dry red wine and it did have a bit of the buzzy feeling to it but it was like 4oz and it took me a good 30 minutes to consume it. Tequila, especially patron, 1 and done. I know if I go beyond that then I'll be in some troubles. Now I will be two years post op this Dec, and I can say that in the time post surgery I can still say that I have had less than 10 drinks in that time frame. I know how drinking for some of us can be a slippery slop to leading towards unwanted addictions and coping mechanisms. I get that, and I think its why I choose to wait so long to attempt to drink anything post surgery, especially after the NYE thing. But it is something that I have learned to enjoy, just on very special occasions and in the right situations.

12 years out. I had several blood transfusions after my WLS so I had big regrets. The issue was that I replaced food with alcohol (was not a drinker prior to WLS) 3 years ago I got my sh*t together and got serious about supplements and started Keto. I am now at a healthy weight 145 and plan to eventually get back down to my lowest weight (135) which was pre covid. I gained 10 pounds when the lockdown started. I don't regret the surgery as much now as most if not all the issues I had were avoidable and just really my fault for not following the post op way of life.

I had incisional pain in the first two days, then I had stomach pain like cramps or something like this till day #9. So I would say 10 days to two weeks then you will be pain free.

I have my surgery on 10/1. I just started my prep diet this morning. I've already made my basic clothing selections based on the weather forecast for Mexico. I'm just flat excited to get this journey underway!!!!!!!!!!

At GNC you can buy just 1 of each flavor in their refrigerator section, or by 4 pack or case. I started out with 1 of each flavor & quickly went back for more. Of course like someone else stated Protein shake tasted are very person specific! Good luck & let me know what you think of them Oh & a GNC bonus, if you sign up for their free discount card you get a 10% or 20% discount(I forget which sorry) the first week of every month!

I had 2 Protein flavors, one watermelon, one coffee looking back I wish I had 3, and an unflavored protein. I added the unflavored to anything, but mostly broth. I had already been on a 10 day liquid diet, so it wasn't so bad. If you have the urge to chew, chew on ice or Jello. Jello worked for me, if you have an unflavored Protein powder then add some of that to the jello for protein jello. I did liquids longer, because I didn't want to do purees, I knew the texture would make me nauseous.

WoW WoW !! Very inspiring !! I want to be like u when I grow up !! LoL !! Banded 4/6/2012 looking forward to 10 months from now !!

I had my surgery 10 months ago today. If you would have told me then that I'd be writing this post today celebrating 122.6 pounds down i would have said you were crazy - that would be way too good to be true! BUT GUESS WHAT IT'S TRUE!!!!!! Thank you all for your support and info over this year - you are wonderful!!!!! BEST OF LUCK TO US ALL ON OUR JOURNEYS!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had my surgery on Jan 25 as well in San Antonio. I am about 10 min from the Austin TR office. I am not feeling too much gas pain, but have some pretty bad incision pain that just won't go away. I am very glad that I don't have to go back to work until Wednesday! Glad to see some other ATX TR people in this forum!

Banded 10/31/2011, down 80+ pounds.

All drs seem to have different criteria they follow but it's basically the same for the most part...I will answer your question based on my experience. You will want to check with your dr before deviating from his rules. I had to give up carbonation..the is my drs #1 rule. No food is off limits once On solids but my band isn't fond of rice or thick pasta. First month Week one clear liquids Week two creamy liquids Week three mushies....like yogurt, hummus, mashed veggies, mashed potatoes, oatmeal...anything blended to the consistency of baby food Once on solids at week 4 I started eating the way I did throughout my journey. 1000 calories each day with portion controls being paramount. I ate three meals a day of 3 oz protien, 1/2 c veggies and 1/4 starch. I was allowed 2 snacks of fruit or a sugar free treet or something salty like 10 small pretzel sticks

Hello all, I am almost 10 months out and have severe nerve pain in my left leg. I am working with my doctor to determine the source of the pain. In googling for answers I have seen both wls (related to B12 deficiency) and long term use of ppi medicines as possible causes of nerve damage. Just wondering if anyone in our group here has experienced anything like this?