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Welcome to the world of restriction. It's fantastic isn't it? I literally struggle to eat 1000 calories a day now whereas before the surgery I'd struggle to keep it below 2000!!lol!! I'm losing at least 3lbs a week at the moment and I haven't even started exercising yet. Best of luck to you!

Hello all- So glad I found this website--it's always less daunting to know you're 'not the only one' out there and can discuss what's going through your mind (which works overtime with big decisions like this) I meet my surgeon tomorrow morning with hubby and my sister to set a date. April 3 is being strongly considered, at my request and the surgeon's office OK, as my Easter week off will minimize the need for lots of sick time. My background is that I've always been the 'big one'. The youngest, yet largest sibling. The big, funny friend. The mom who can't jump into the mix for anything too physically demanding. The overweight bride. The airplane passenger they all dread sitting next to--and who prays that she won't have to ask for an extender. Ugh...I'm sick of all those labels. I'm ready to start fresh and get healthy. I have sleep apnea, take BP meds, have knee pain, back pain, and am on anti-depressant. I'd like to eliminate those eventually. I have finally decided that my love affair with food is not so 'lovely' and I want to see how the other half eats. I have a loving, (thin) husband who is very supportive but doens't really 'get it' the way we all do..he is very supportive of whatever I do though and I'm very thankful for that. I have to boys 7 and 10 years old who need a mom with more energy and confidence. I want to be able to set a good fitness example for them too (and maybe show up in some of their childhood photos..lol) I actually started this process, in Buffalo NY, in November 2010 with original intentions for surgery in early 2011. They'd put me on S. Beach diet as part of their pre-surgery requirements...I'd done very well on s. beach and the surgeon gave me the choice as he felt I was an excellent candidate but since I was having success did I want to try on my own? I did try on my own and eventually (again) failed at weight loss. So I"m back...but this time for the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy as I'd, over my year, heard several stories of how the lap-band required a great deal of maintenance and had some pitfalls along the way. Maybe it was meant to be that I waited as my insurance carrier, which covers the VSG now would not have last year. So, cross your finger and say your prayers for me that I get my surgery scheduled and I can join you all in the Quest for a new beginning. I'm ready. Nervous about surgery but definitely ready. Moreso than ever before. Thank you for any advice or support you can lend me. I've told a very select few people (a couple close co-workers, friends, and family) and plan to keep it to myself generally. Amy

I do the same as you. I weigh weekly on Wednesday because that was my surgery day. I am 7 months out and the value of having those documented in my notebook is I can see patterns. I had scale 'issues' several years ago where I was obsessing and even getting on multiple times in a day. It was way out od hand and the scale was dictating my feelings and lufe. My then fiance took it away and said no more scales. I am now 17 years married to that wonderful man and swore when I started this journey I wouldn't let the scake define me or the progress I make. I weigh faithfully on wednesday. Some weeks it goes dow sometimes ir stays the same but ultimately it is just one measurement I use for my success. Moral of the story is whatever you decide in terms of how often you weigh yourself, just make sure it is a healthy relationship with the scale. You own it not the other way around.

In pre-op wearing my designer gown! Had my I'VE antibiotic and weigh in I love this scale down 10 lbs in a week . I think they make these gowns so big to make people feel better about themselves! The staff here at Richardson Surgery Center are great . See you on the other side folks D

Congrats and best wishes to you!!!!! I cant wait til my surgery but I have a lonnnnnnnnggggggggggggg process infront of me. I just went to the free seminar this week. Keep us updated.

You should lose 2lbs per week at the start. Hope you will walk to get rid of the gas. So happy for you. Anxious for you to let us know you are done. Cant wait to meet you. dont overdue your pain pills. you will get constipated big time from them. I have bnd for 2 years.

I am getting very nervous all of a sudden. More people are starting to know what I am doing and decided not to keep it a big secret but noted spreading it around in the newspaper. Did well on the pre-op diet while I was off of work besides eating at Pappadeaux for Mother's Day and having a few bites of mashed potatoes and creme brulee. Will be a busy week...

I did do a “last supper” because I was so worried I wouldn’t be able to eat the foods I love ever again. It was all sorta silly now looking back because I can eat anything I want. I don’t have anything I cannot tolerate in moderation. Basically it was just that much more I had to lose post op. I didn’t go crazy though thankfully so it wasn’t like it was that big of a deal. Just remember the more carbs and stuff you have the more you crave them. So if you have that junk the last couple nights before your pre op diet it will be that much harder to stick to the pre op. I had my last supper a week before so that I could detox from the carbs and stuff BEFORE I had to start the pre op diet. Something to consider.

Congrats and good luck tomorrow... I am a week from tomorrow so please keep me posted on how everything went. Like you I am so ready for this.

Hey Hippiemama - Welcome to LBT Four lil ones homeschooled? Wow! You've got your hands full hehe. Congratulations on your decision to have the lapband. Jump in here, everyone is super friendly and full of info. Good luck next week as well!

My port site hurt for about 3 weeks, and I thought thatI was going to be deformed cause it was so lumpy there. Now it is almost gone and the site rarely hurts now. Be patient and it will get better!

I am 18 months post WLS. I now prefer flavored room temperature Water. I can consume 16 oz. in about 5-8 mins. I never drink while eating, however, I can eat immediately following drinking, don't need to wait 15 mins. I did follow the ( eating) 15-30 minute after drinking rule until about 15 months post surgery. Initially I could not get in the recommended 64 ozs, but by 4 weeks it was no longer difficult. I have no problem reaching the 64 oz. daily goal now. It is different for all of us, but you will do your best and it will all work out.

mine is also from surgeries and it is the worst he has seen and this will be my 3rd repair. Mine is about the size of a basketball. Very painful at times. This does give me some hope. i will know in 2 weeks.

im upset my lil sis is being taken away from use by her father that hasnt seen her for teen yrs even when her mother died of cancer when she was 8yrs old he didnt see her or tlk to her, or when her gpa died when she was 10 he didnt say anything but that yr he did try for custdy he lost cuz she dont know him and we won custduy of her at that time she was living with my family and her g ma i concidered her gma mine too. then g ma died from smoking and thts when she moved in with my family, he tried for custudy agien and lost, then when she turn 12 her father tried agien and he lost but won vistitation 4 week a yr. he put in a apeal and the court didnt even tlk to the child and he won custudy and now she is locking her self in the room , he has a warent from the court, but she doesnt want to go with a man she dont know, he isnt here right now hes in florda im in new york, he'll be here with in the week, i dont think its right for him to be able to take her from use just because he help make her with the mother and then left her , i dont know wut to do, we need help -marissa

I've never considered self-pay. I am a college student and I work part-time, and get my tuition and books from my father (bless his heart!) and my mom helps with groceries and rent. This is a new concept for me, as before I used to pay for EVERYTHING, but I worked full-time and decided to go back to school. As of now, I'm filling out forms for Student Loans so I can go to Spain because my parents say it's too expensive. Basically, besides what I get from selling on an auction site, I make no income...so Self-Pay would be almost impossible for me. I would have to either put it on a Care Credit card or use a big loan. The thought that I might be DENIED in a few weeks has crossed my mind. Even if I get approved, I have to wait until NEXT May (2009) for the surgery with Kaiser. I AM SO READY for this! My parents would be furious, but I am 22 years old. Has anyone done self-pay with little income and paid it off? What would you guys do? Any advice for me? How do you pay for fills ? Thank you so much.

You know, it seems to me that if you eat at 5:30 you should be hungry. Going from 5:30 to noon seems too long to me. I just saw the nutrionist yesterday. She actually wrote me up a schedule. She wants her lap band patients to each every three hours and sip water the hour after each meal up to 1/2 hour before. Seems like you should be eating a meal or snack that starts with protein right about 9am just like your stomach is telling you :-). Britt

YOU CAN DO IT!!!! Day by day! I really admire you Diane and all of you who had pre-op liquid diets! I think I might have gone crazy if I had to be on one.....and for 2 weeks! Keep it up!

Tomorrow is the beginning of the rest of my life. This journey of mines has been going on for years in my head. I have listened to so many people say that you do not need the lap-band surgery. All you need is a really good excerise program and a great nutritionist. Well damn it I tried all of that and I am tired of the yo-y syndrom that I fall into every year. I had to come to a place where I was sick and tire of being sick and tired of feeling fatigued all the time. I have been to several seminars but the beginning of October 2007 I got real serious about getting a new out look on life. I attended my last seminar of Oct 4 2007 , my first pre surgical appointment, and pyche evaluation on October 16 2007. On October 29 I was told that I was approved for surgery on November 21 2007.( I have the best insurance) I was 363lbs on November 7th 2007, Then on my birthday NOvember 16th I went to weigh in after being on the liver shrinking diet for a week and was 350.3lbs(13 lbs lost). Today I am sitting around excited and nervous all at the same time. I have to be at the hospital @ 6am and my surgery is @ 7:30am., So I will have to get up after 4am to make sure I am there on time. I am late for everything, all the time. I pray that this will soon be the end of that. Well the next time you all here from me I would have had my surgery. Prayers are welcomed and wish me all the best. I am gonna need you guys to help me reach my goals. See ya till next time. Pre-surgical journal. 11/20/2007 @ 9:20pm (Tuesday night) P.S I will be home on thanksgiving day Did I plan that or what. I am so serious about this and this should prove it. :clap2:

I hope everyone doesn't hate me, but I''m on day 9 of clears since my surgery and I can't believe it has gone by so fast. I will start full liquids tomorrow. I will be glad to have a little more substance, but I have felt fine. The only time I was nauseated was when I went shopping with my daughter. I think some people on the forum who feel bad do not get enough protein during the clear stage. I have been getting 60-80 grams of protein daily by mixing GNC Whey Protein chocolate flavor in water. I mix one & 1/2 scoops instead of one for a little richer taste, but it tastes pretty darn good when it your only source of protein. I feel for those who are having a difficult time getting through the first few weeks. It is just like when I dieted in the past and the people around me were eating all my favorites while I was depriving myself. Just think ahead to the time when we can have almost anything we want because we can only have a limited amount. We will survive!!!!

If I understand what you're referring to, I think it's that the band gets stitched in place from the outside during surgery. The upper stomach skin is pulled down around the band and is stitched there, effectively making a tunnel shape if enough stitches are used. My surgeon didn't use those terms, but he said many surgeons only use a few stitches (like three or four) to attach the band. He said he uses anywhere between six and ten stitches, to make a fully secure placement, and that slippage virtually never happens. I can imagine that securely stitching the band in place lke that would make a tunnel shape quite easily. Fills only tighten or loosen the band in place, so I don't think the physical size of the band would change all that much. I'd expect that's why they ask you to go on liquids for a few days after a fill, so things can adjust to the change. Dave

Depending on what your surgeon requires of you, you may or may not need to do this. It is medically supervised and my surgeon requires it, I even had to buy the shakes from his office. 4 a day for 2 weeks. The purpose is not for weight loss but to shrink the liver to make it easier and safer to do your surgery.

You most likely have oral thrush. I had this about a week after my surgery. My surgeon said it's very common. Between medications and being dehydrated it changes the natural flora in your body causing the thrush. You can buy over the counter medication from your pharmacist which clears it up in around 5 days x Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'm also 3 weeks out. Today I made shredded pork for the family and decided to throw some in the blender- I was nervous to eat meat. I was hungry too and it smelled so good. I probabaly had 2-3 ounces an was stuffed- Eat Protein first :-) funny because I had all these big plans to eat cottage cheese after or something with it anyway. No can do. Eating SF Popsicle a half hour later to satisfy my sweet craving. I want a candy bar!

I lost 16 pounds the first three weeks when I was on liquids after surgery. I started soft foods beginning week 4 and I gained two pounds even though I've been sticking to my diet and exercising. It's very discouraging. I think I will also up my Protein and drink more fluids and hopefully weight will drop again. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Thank you everyone!!! I am also in the middle of week 3 and I am going down in ounces and that isn't everyday. While I have been a little disappointed, I know it's only temporary. I appreciate all of you being so reassuring that the numbers will start going down again. Sent from my SM-G920V using the BariatricPal App