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I just read some of the posts and thought the same thing, regular food less than a week out?? I'm still on Clear Liquids and will start regular liquids tomarow. No offense to anyone I was just surprised to see that. I still feel so full that I don't know if I could eat if I tried. Maybe I will be one of the lucky ones that can go quite awhile without a fill. It is so good to see that everyone is doing good. I having been walking, walking, walking!! If I sit for too long I can definatly feel the air buildup in my tummy. So far Im very happy with the results Im down 10 lbs. Im happy to have the surgery part behind me and now onto the real work. Good luck everyone, Bernadette

I can't belive how connected I feel to you all just because we have the same banding date. Thanks for all the support and information!! I too am having pain in my left shoulder. Have spoken to the Dr. office and now take tylenol when it starts. They never said that it was gas pain, but did say expected it to get better with time. If it wasn't for my shoulder I would feel great. Don't go back to work until Monday, my Dr. required 2 weeks off and since my work is slow decided to take advantage of the rest. Can begin soft foods on Saturday, can't wait. Have been on protien shakes only since 3/2. My 1st fill isn't scheduled until 4/28. Do you all have to take all liquid. crush or chew medication? Have been having a hard time finding all the required. I did find chewable gummy B-12 CVS brand that taste great. I thought is was just because I haven't chewed anything in sooooo long, but even my 19 year old daughter wanted a bottle. Am taking flintstone chewable and they are not very good, do like the tums for calcuim. Does anyone else have anything they are taking that isn't horrible. I would just so rather swallow a pill. My best to you all!!!!

Hey all! Thank you for your warm welcome! Its nice to talk to people who were banded on the same day! My brief band history. I was banded in NYC at NYU by Dr. Fielding. I had two incisions one up by my chest between the breasts, and the other under my bellybutton. The incision beneath my bellybutton is about 1 inch? its kind of in a smiley face so I have no idea how big it really is. the one by my chest is tiny. The first 10 days were the hardest, but it gets better day by day. I had my first fill 2 weeks ago, I wasn't told anything about how big my band is, or how many cc's the fill was for. My Dr. is not the most forthcoming with information nor is he wonderful with his bedside manner which is frustrating! I have lost about 30lbs though which is really exciting! As for feeling restriction after my first fill.. In the first week I was could only tolerate liquids, but now I can pretty much eat anything... But I have stayed away from things like bread and tough meats, so I do not know how those would fare. I don't really feel too much restriction, I get hungry only a few hours after I eat, and I can definately eat more than the 4-6oz of food they say you will only be able to tolerate! Even so, I have been trying to monitor my calorie intake to 1000-1200 calories a day, so that seems to be doing the trick for now! How about exercize? Has anyone started an exercize routine yet? are we allowed? Also how about healing, I still have some swelling around my belly button and stomach where my port is... Nothing major but it doesn't seem to be going down any more? Hope to hear from all of you! Thank you again! Julia

hi guys long island ny here... i am just curious why you are on clear liquids for so long?? i guess every doctor is different.. i was banded on april 21st and the next day i was allowed full liquids like cream soups yogurt and pudding..protein shakes also...today is day 10 for me and i am feeling good.. i am due to start mushy foods on thursday and it seems you will still be on clear liquids..i wonder why such an extreme difference??

Mutual Concensus......hmm sort of. When we first got married...I wanted colors all over...he didn't he wanted eggshell. (for that "clean" look)...So we painted colors, then 10 years later it all went to eggshell and by then I didn't really care as long as it was painted...lol. Tomorrow I am painting the bathroom, he doesn't know, I don't think he will care either..anything has to be better than what it looks now! But generally we do come to agreements on what the house should look like, we listen to what each other has to say...its all good.

We all have these blues along the way . . . it is perfectly normal. The incredible thing is, you can lose a lot of weight in the beginning but still look very overweight . . . but when you get closer to goal, a difference of 10 pounds can make a big difference. Just remember that this is a journey and you should be proud of what you have accomplished so far, but also know that this is only the start and you have a lot more celebrating to do down the road as well.

I know how you feel. I feel like Iv lost so much until I see a picture of myself and realize Im not looking as thin as I feel, I still look .... errr fat. My stomach isnt going down as fast as Id like especially. You have done so well. Iv been banded longer than you and not yet where you are. What I do is count every 10 lbs, and Celebrate it when I hit it. Each 10 lbs took a lot of effort, so tell yourself, thats 10 down, and only look ahead the next 10 lbs. Dont try to make large goals that take too long, make smaller goals that you keep achieving.

Another week down - how's everyone doing? Overall, I'm doing great - incisions are healing nicely, down to hardly any scab left. Eating soft foods has been wonderful. Looking forward to my fill on 4/10. My only complaint right now is I'm stuck on weight loss - been tetering between 20-21 pounds for what feels like eternity...but I guess its normal. What's most frustrating to me is I'm eating so very little 1/4-1/2c servings, maintaining under 60 carbs a day, and starting to walk regularly...and still nothing. Anyone else experiencing this? I'm very curious how the band is going to help me eat less than I am. How does it work? Is it different because instead of our bodies being in starvation recovery mode, it recognizes the band pouch as the stomach and allows you to lose weight again? Just confused...any insights will be appreciated!

HI there Porcin, you will do fine we can talk more at support .That 10 pounds you lost is only a taste of what will come. I had lost 16 prior to surgery and did not do any liquid diet. so it is up to you. see ya on monday

You're fairly early along so there's not a lot of risk yet, but I would check your blood pressure just to be sure. I had bad headaches BUT it was last trimester and I was mildly pre-eclamptic - but again, that didnt start till 35 weeks or so so dont panic. When I was pregnant with Eliza I developed a really bad headache that gradually worsened over two weeks, I was only about 9 or 10 weeks along, bit of a worry, but it turned out to be a sinus infection.

I am pretty sure I said something on the 50 thread - but ya my doc was doing a new commercial - 4 of us - 2 banders and 2 bypass pple but you know what - we didn't say what kind of surgery we had 10/1 we filmed - like I said I haven't seen it yet - I have seen the one with the couple (bypass) but not mine - they are suppose to give us dvd of it - when I get it - if I do - I will upload it to facebook... Going to Vegas this weekend - to meet Peaches from Canada(she post sometime on the 50 thread) she's one of my lucky #7 girls - we met in Minn last summer when we did our mall of america trip - her & her gf me and mine - are going to have a girl's weekend..

I'm with all of you! I kept seeing the "Lion" ad <eyes rolling> and that got me to thinking about it. Got online with their website in January. Eventually found this site. Talked to my PCP thinking he'd be against it. He'd always been on me to try again to lose the weight. Surprisingly, he thought it was a good idea for me to go to seminar, said they'd talk more about bypass, so be aware, and they'd send me "out" for the surgery. Went to seminar and signed up for classes that night. Found Kaiser was doing the surgeries but I'd have to go to the bay area, 3 /12 hrs away. Started getting a little discouraged with the logistics of going back and forth 3 1/2 hours for all of my appts and surgery. But wasn't going to give up. I figured that one way or another, this was for me and I needed to do this. By summer it was looking like I wouldn't be able to have surgery until the following spring with the waiting list in the bay area. Then, middle of summer, I find out Kaiser was bringing a new surgeon to Fresno, an hour from me and where all our major appts are! Heard he was hoping to start doing bands at the end of the year. Figured I'd wait for him instead of trying to get in sooner, farther away. Come end of July, they called me to have surgery the next week! Freaked me out! Couldn't do it that soon. (I have a 2yr old I had to make arrangements for and a firefighter DH who (during fire season!) had to try to get time off!) They called me back for a surgery date in August that I could do! Day of surgery, never having had surgery before, and I was NOT nervous or scared. THAT is the hand of GOD! I've felt calm about the whole thing. Doors being opened that allowed me to be able to do the surgery closer to home and a good 6-10 months sooner than I thought it would happen! So, yes, I feel this was for me. Wasa, I don't understand your comment.

Arrived at hospital at 10:30, at hotel by 2:15 and I had a barium swallow

Hello, I have had my band for a few years now but have had various ups and downs so here is my journey............... As a teenager I was always a healthy but as I hit 19 my weight began to creep up and up and it was discovered I had polycystic ovarian syndrome which was the doctor said was the trigger for my weight gain, I carried on gaining weight and then I fell pregnant with my son at 23, I actually lost weight while I was pregnant, however after having my son my weight began to creep up again and after lots and lots of research I decided I would have a Gastric Band, so I flew to Brussels and had one fitted by the most amazing surgeon Dr Bruno Dillemans , this was back in January 2006, once back in the UK I had a first fill of 3ml which gave me a small restriction, however my partner and I had to move to Northern Scotland and at that time the nearest place I could get a fill done was a 5 hour drive away, at this point my band just got forgotten about, I kept saying I was going to go but just never got round to it due to various things and my weight then began to creep up again. I then moved back to my hometown of Torquay and went to see my G.P who advised me that she would put me forward to have further treatment through the NHS which I was not expecting but pleased about, it was a long process of visits with dieticians, specialist etc, and then the day of the band fill came, I was so excited, but it was not to be , my portal is in a funny position, so I was referred to have my fill under x-ray, I had 5mls my first fill and it was to tight, I couldn't swalow my own salivia without feeling like my chest was being crushed and being sick, I had 1ml taken out and went on to lose 2 stone, I then went back and had another fill up to 7mls which was tight and it took me a while to get used to it but once I learnt my do's and don't's I was ok with this and went on to lose 5 stone, I was over the moon I hadn't been that slim since I was 19 i'm now 31..!!, then I fell pregnant by mistake, I had to have my band totally deflated which was ok, I could of had a couple mls put back in but decided not to and was very careful with my eating during my pregnancy and ended up just gaining 7lb which I was over the moon about. My problems started once my daughter was born, she was born in November 2011 and with a cold winter I sat in most of the day on my own bored and eating...!!! my weight has shot right back up again so I begged for an earlier appointment with my specialist nurse, who tried to fill me but again I had to go under x-ray, I had 6ml put in and felt restriction for about a week then it seemed to slack off so I requested another appointment which I got 5 weeks after my 6ml fill and there was only 3ml still in, so it is thought I may have a small leak in my tubing...!!!!!!, I am now at the point where I was filled up to 7mls 10 days ago, which is a mega restriction, which I like, but i'm now just waiting to see if it slacks off to see if I have to have my tubing replaced....!!!! So there is my journey so far, I came so far but am backk where I started and my journey is just beginning again...!!! Wish me luck xxxxx

I hope so , I been cream for scars on it and it has gottin a lil lighter 7*10*12

I started right at a BMI of 35. I lost 10 lbs. I think in the first 2 weeks. Then it was a steady 2-3 lbs. a week until I purposely tried to eat more calories around month 6 because I was already close to a normal BMI and felt that it was still coming off too quick. I dropped a little more and now maintain around 127-129 (higher due to Covid stress eating) eating 1500-1600 calories. I was at a consistent 125-126 from month 6-month 13 (March). I read a lot of others who said they lost slowly due to starting at a lower BMI. But everyone is different and mine was pretty quick.

I hovered right around 35 BMI. Friends and family insisted that I was "too small" for surgery. I considered it off and on for about 10 years, and finally decided to do it (sleeve), and just not tell anyone so I didn't need to deal with the judgement. Only regret I have is not doing it sooner. My weight loss was slow going at first. At the two year mark I'd lost about 50 pounds and while I was super happy at that weight, I had expected to lose a bit more. Year 3 I've lost another 20 pounds and am actually "working" to stay at this weight. I could easily lose more if I wanted to be slimmer. No insurance coverage. Paid for everything out of pocket.

I totally understand how you are feeling. I am 4 weeks post op and have only lost 12lbs, 10 of which were in the first week! I exercise 5-6 times a week and I really don't eat a whole meal but several times during the day I will eat small amounts of food. As the others have said you need to find some type of way to get your body moving and to sweat! I have gotten very bored of the treadmill so I am looking for some other ways to exercise. Also since you are still fairly new to the lapband I'm sure you haven't gotten to your "sweet spot" yet and once you do I hear the weight will melt off of you !! I can't wait for that time to come. Don't give up on yourself we didn't gain all this weight overnight and it isn't going to come off over night either. Be encouraged and just keep going!! Good luck!

10 pounds is great! Keep up the good work.

Hi everyone, I havent post anything since September. a recap, I was banded on July 3rd weighting 238, today 12/29/12 I am 209. My first two fills didnt feel much of restriction only lost 21 pounds in four moths. I had my 4th fill on 12/17/12 and I have lost 10 lbs since than.. It hasnt been easy for me, I've been vomitting almost every day. The past two or three day I ve been better, I just need to keep in mind the small bites and shew shew shew.. After all, I am very happy of my weight lost and focused to reach my goal before my year bandnniversary.. I hope all of you are having great results as well..

I hate to say this but every time I see someone on these boards who is having problems and not feeling well, it seems their doctor or nut already has them on full or mushies too early in the process. I know there are a lot of people who started full liquids or mushies with no problem too, but you know everyone is different. My doctor specifically said to only have clears for the first 10 days because up to 2 weeks is the risk for a leak along the staple line.... Tiff always give good advice and obvioulsly with where she is in her weight loss/maintaining...she is doing the right thing.. I would personally suggest to stay away from canned, purreed, salty foods this early out and stick to broth. I used unjury chicken soup and I really found it gentle and easy on the stomach. Good Luck, it will get better.

Yes I do I had my surgery on the 10/24 and I was worried I had stretched my stomach but after a while I got used to fixing my plate smaller so now I don't get that full filling Sent from my SM-G920P using the BariatricPal App

Took them before and taking them after. They do help with regularity due to regulating your gut bacteria, etc. also, I read an article of a test done on people who had WLS and probiotics. Some had the actual probiotic and the other had a placebo. The probiotic group had a 70% better weight loss than the placebo group. Worth taking it, for benefits all around. This isn’t the study I saw before but it’s a nice article about the benefits. https://www.peachtreebariatrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/PSB-Probiotics.pdf

Thanks everyone! Good luck Nikki3. Jengarcia055, BCBSTX were great! When i finished my items it took less than 10 days for the approval to come in the mail.so I probably could have found out sooner if I called them.

Holy Toledo! Of course I couldn't be simple- I had to reach my goal weight in dramatic fashion! God's divine sense of humor has struck again... So I had a first/blind date with a gentlemen officer who ended up getting sick on Sunday and cancelled his date but asked to reschedule. Well, last night he texted me and told me his work (he's in a higher level officer training course at the moment at our local military installation) will be at my University on Thursday- for the lecture I'm co-hosting for a General who's speaking. This would be the same lecture I've been nervously working so hard for because my ex boyfriend was going to be attending and I wanted to take the opportunity to show off my new me. Apparently God's seeing fit to screw with my head and put them both in that lecture hall at the same time..... Spanx and hot bodycon business dress- don't fail me now! Thursday is D- Day for me as far as I'm concerend. Then I woke up... I woke up and got on the scale and I made my goal weight this morning... And the guest lecture I'm hosting that the ex and current male interests are both attending is in 2 days.... Well played God. Well played. I <3 my sleeve!!!!! Height: 5'9 Highest (Surgery) Weight: 216 1st Primary Goal Weight: 169 (achieved 11/27) 2nd Optimal Goal Weight: 145 Sleeve Journey: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> 8/17/12- PreOp/Surgery Day w/Pics Posted in Blog Week 1 (8/24): 204.8 (-11.2) Week 2 (8/31): 200.6 (-4.2) Week 3 (9/7): 196.8 (-3.8) Week 4 (9/14): 193.5 (-3.3) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> 9/17/12- 1 Month Anniversary w/Pics Posted in Blog (-22.5 lbs) Week 5 (9/21): 191.6 (-1.9) Week 6 (9/28): 190.1 (-1.5) Week 7 (10/5): 187.0 (-3.1) Week 8 (10/12): 181.9 (-5.1) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> 10/17/12- 2 Month Anniversary w/Pics Posted in Blog (-11.6 lbs) Week 9 (10/19): 181.4 (-.5) Week 10 (10/26): 177.9 (-3.5) Week 11 (11/02): 176.8 (-1.1) Week 12 (11/09): 174.7 (-2.1) Week 13 (11/16): 173.3 (-1.4) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> 11/17/12- 3 Month Anniversary w/Pics Posted in Blog (-8.6 lbs) Week 14 (11/23): 173.1 (-.2) ***1st Goal Weight Achieved Week (11/27): 169.5 lbs***