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I have lurked here since my surgery, but I've made very few posts. I'm struggling, and when I read others' posts I feel guilty that I'm struggling. I read all these posts about how happy people are after their surgery and how they are doing so great and love life so much. I'm mostly glad I had the surgery. I've been at a healthier weight for about 2 years now although I've never gotten to my goal weight. When others see me or talk to me, including my surgeon, they tell me how great I look and how good I've done. What the surgery has done for me mentally has been so opposite of what everyone sees on the outside. I realized after surgery that my weight was really a symptom of much deeper problems. I guess I had this idea that if I lost the weight everything else in life would be perfect and fall into place. My experience has been much different than that. I have discovered that I have major depression and serious anxiety. I was able to cover it up for years by eating. If I was depressed, I ate. Then I would be depressed about my failure to lose weight and control my eating, instead of dealing with other issues. If I was anxious, I ate. The more anxious I was, the more I ate. When I had marital problems, I ate. Then I blamed myself for the problems, whether they were truly my fault or not (i.e. infidelity). After surgery, I had no more coping mechanism. The first year after surgery was the hardest. I got to a really great place with myself, and I was losing weight and beating the battle with eating. In the midst of my healing, my relationship with my husband changed. He didn't know where he fit in with my new found confidence and independence. He became increasingly angry and this drove a wedge between us. This summer something happened that rocked our marriage. We have been working on fixing things and healing, but I find myself personally back in the same place I was before surgery. I'm using food to cope, and as a result, I've gained 19 pounds from my lowest weight. I'm still a far cry from where I was before surgery, but I'm terrified of getting back to that place. Since surgery, I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and dependent personality disorder. This gives me knowledge of what I need to work on, but it's still a daily battle. Every day I get up and plan to do better with my eating. I plan to workout at least 3 times a week. I plan to go back to the basics that I used right after surgery. But every day, I end the day disappointed with myself for failing. The battle is mentally, and physically, exhausting. I guess I need to hear that others have had similar problems (not that I want anyone else to suffer), but sometimes I feel like I'm the only one experiencing these feelings. I'm really struggling. It gets a little harder every day to keep fighting the battle, but I'm not going to give up.

Sounds good...been on my 3 week stall for a week now. Anyways today is my bday and I'm having me some cheesecake lol!

@bayougirlmrsc In the past I would send name and cell and location and timeframe to a friend and do the whole "check in" thing on first dates, but honestly, I have never done that with someone that I have been seeing for weeks like the situation that happened - although, in this case her people KNEW she was going to the Mariners with this guy and it didn't keep her alive. A background check wouldn't have done much either because his criminal record was not bad enough to make you think he was a murderer. I guess we accept a certain level of risk just leaving the house everyday...

It is normal to have these feelings, your body is going thru some major changes right now. It will get better, I promise. I was a little tired the first two weeks but I feel amazing now, sooo much more energy.

Use myfitness pal and log all your shakes and food. Also use a good whey isolate like Unjury or premier protein is descent. Add unflavored protein powder to your mushy foods. You are only 1 week post op...You are doing great! FYI, hair loss doesn't usually start until about 6 months post op. It's temporary hair loss!! Congrats and Best wishes!

Contrary to what you see on forums, most people with the exception of men, don't lose in the first 2 weeks after surgery. You are full of IV fluids, and swollen. Your body has had major trauma, and it is recovering. If you don't eat you aren't going to lose any weight, If you want to lose, push fluids, drink all the Water you can, and eat according to your program.

Hello all, I am two weeks post op after my sleeve, and I have seemed to hit a stall. I was 242.5 on 12/4/15 and over the weekend I have gained weight! I am now at 244! I don't know how since I am not/cannot intake anymore food than I was before; this is emotionally distressing to me, adding to the distress of having this surgery. I don't know what to do, I am an emotional wreck, and this week I started pureed foods which I don't want to eat since I am afraid I will gain more. The first few weeks are supposed to be where you lose the most, and I am scared to have had this surgery and not losing as much as I hoped I would. I am real down; I should stay off the scale daily, I know. I know it's different for everyone and my husband says to be patient with myself and give myself a break, but it's depressing. I have my 2 week post-op tomorrow and I am afraid my surgeon will just say nothing

Being one that doesn't react to fills until 6-10 days later I offer a word of caution. Give your body a chance to react to the fill before you decide that its not enough. This last one I only got .3. On the 11th day I PBed on a piece of scrambled egg. That had been a safe food for me. If after 2-3 weeks you are so hungry and your will power is wanning, then call for a fill. If you are not losing and can eat a whole chicken breast, then my doctor says come for a fill. Being over filled is worse than being under filled. I can use my will power when no restriction is being experienced, but nothing helps when I can't swallow a sip of Water when overfilled. Also, I can eat lots after 6 days from a fill before the whammy sets in. Each of us is different, but I think that is why they want us to wait. I've also heard, no proof to this, that our ports are only made to withstand a certain # of fills. I don't know how true this is so take it for what it is, a rumor.

I dont have a time frame on mine...My surgeon just told me that if I fell lower than a loss of 4-6 pounds for a months time to come in for a fill...The last time I scheduled one it was about 6 weeks after the first...I didnt want to wait until I went under that weight loss limit so I went in anyways and got it with no problem...I feel that if I wait that long then I am going to fall behind on my loss and I dont really want to do that...So I just waited about 6 more weeks now and am going to go in again for another one November 17th

Dear Surby, I have had such a hard time with fills and the frustration of not feeling hardly any restriction. I feel your pain...... But don't stop trying to get in sooner and get filled. Be pushy if you have to be, take it from me I waited way too long between fills and I haven't had much success at loosing weight, I could eat anything and everything. The last fill I had in July and this fill that I just had last week have been the only ones that I have felt any type of restriction and I've had the band since December 05. Now I can hardly eat anything! I have to admit It makes me happy cause I know it works now. I was about ready to get the band taken off but I have hopes of loosing now, I'm excited once again...........

My doctor requires only 2 weeks

Well, I have to say that I was trimming my yard with a light weedeater (less than 7 lbs) and now my rib cage hurts even worse. I didn't even get 5 minutes in. I definitely have to call the surgeon tomorrow because I'm worried. To me, I shouldn't be hurting. I can't even think about exercising because of the pain. I also stopped losing weight. I lost 10 lbs in the first week and have stopped all together. UGH!

I am a little over 2 weeks out. I had pain when breathing deep until the 4th day out. I personally have never been a very good burper. I still have a terrible time burping. It gets better. The only pain I have now is at my port site when I bend over.

I am currently following similar food ideas and things as WW but I personally would not join again. Although I liked weight Watchers and I did loose weight with them (50 pounds which I have since have put back on) the groups by me were so bad. Full of skinny teachers that had 10 pounds to loose and use the group forum as a chance to either teach everyone else on how to loose like them since they lost a pound, or whine that they miss hamburgers. Very annoying when you have over 100 pounds to loose. Also I would probably not join again because of the cost. I spent the money on the band because I never wanted to spend money again on other diet and eating plans. I figured since I kept all my WW books, cards and other things I don't need to pay to get it all again. totally a personal choice and I can understand how the weigh-in once a week motivates you. It used to for me. Good luck with what you decide to do. If only loosing weight was as easy as putting it on.

In a word...NO. and NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!!! ...and I totally agree with Jacqui...the experience with aftercare was just as important to me. Let's face it, at # 26, you'd still be a guinea pig and possibility of problems will certainly be higher, just because of inexperience. I went to three different hospitals before I picked mine. Possibility of death is still just that and your risking a lot.

Thanks Laura! That explains a lot. I was sleeved 3/25 and was a big water drinker prior to surgery. I've only been able to start drinking plain water about a week ago...til then it was all crystal light, sobe or vitamin water.

As if I were looking in the mirror...I found someone who put what I've been feeling into words. Except for the part about pre-surgery sourness. I never had that. But other than that...I couldn't have described that better myself! Wish I had a tip for you. But I think we're both at the same impass. I really hope there is another sleever out there who knows something more about it. I had my surgery on 09/29/10. I started at 250. Day of surgery I was 236. The last couple weeks I've hovered around 195. So I too have lost 55 lbs.

Sleeved 12/6/10, lost 56 lbs from my fattest, some before pre-op diet some during and the bulk after the sleeve. Gross and vague, but here are my symptoms. This week I have noticed that I have a slight tummy ache, just a little "sick" feeling in my stomach, more or less constant. Nothing debilitating and nothing I'd really call painful just a nuisance. Something between a sour stomach and a stomach ache. It's worse at night. I wouldn't say it was heartburn either as I take a tums and it doesn't really help. Burping helps but it never really goes away. I've also been plagued by frothy spit in the back of my throat and a coated tongue. I've "overeaten" ONCE and had a lot of pain that lasted maybe 10-15 minutes, felt like I was socked in the belly afterwards. So I know my present feeling isn't like that. As I noted elsewhere in the forums I am really turned OFF by food, so I most likely UNDER eating. I am also under a hell of a lot of stress at work - always have been and used to have mild stomach issues before the sleeve, so this all might just be the same thing but amplified because of the new size of my stomach. I'm not worried sick about it but am a bit concerned that it hasn't let up at all this week. Any theories?

Your hospital discharge documents should spell out the level of activity you are supposed to stick to until your follow-up appointment. As with everything else, doctors differ. But mine (and many) encourages walking for exercise immediately postop---but vetoes other exercise until the follow-up. After 4 weeks, I was cleared for all physical activity with no restrictions.

I, too, am a Zumba enthusiast, toffee, so I know just how you feel!! I think Betsy is quite right...Zumba is fairly high impact, and although you can do some modifications of the moves, I would say that you'd be better off holding off on it until about 4 weeks postop. I started back to the gym at 2 weeks post, but didn't resume taking aerobic-based classes or lift weights until I was 4 weeks post. On the bright side, I just signed up to take the certification to actually TEACH Zumba :redface: Can't wait to share my mania far and wide! All the best to you on your journey! Christine

my surgeon has me on liquids for 4 weeks (post op diet)..he said its very important NOT to eat solids as this is the healing process & not to over work the stomach muscles as they need to heal properly

Wow! That's amazing. I'm starting liquids this week and I'm a little nervous about how I'm going to handle it.

I'm 6 weeks out from having a LBL and wanted to ask those who've BTDT: what could you NOT live without in the weeks after surgery? What should I be buying/hiring to ensure the most amount of comfort for myself in those first few weeks? How should I prepare DH? What should I be doing to prepare? Thanks in advance for any advice!!

I've had no zumba for three, going on four weeks and I usually have 2-3 classes a week. I'm going crazy! I don't feel like texting my surgeon about such a non-urgent question in the middle of the night, I was wondering if there are any others who love zumba out there who could tell me how long post-op they avoided or were recommended to stay away from zumba for. :smile2: Aaaah, so need my zumba fix, but I'm not sure I could last a whole class right now. :redface:

6 months post should be fine! And do, it's fantastic! The best hours of my week. Only a few weeks more to go.. counting down...