Let's get to know each other before our surgery...I'll go first.

My name is Amy (37 years old). I live in central FL with my husband and two kids, 3 yo DS and 4.5 yo DD. I work in IT doing technical writing and operational readiness. I love photography and have a small side business, and when I'm thinner, I really enjoy running and spinning.

I was banded in Nov 2009 at 374 lbs. From my banding until Dec 2011 (2 years), I lost 198 lbs. I was thrilled! Despite the occasional vomit and inability to eat certain foods, I was still 99.9% happy with my band. Right after Christmas this year, however, I got a terrible upper respiratory infection. I coughed and coughed and coughed. I coughed until I puked, which caused a slip.

I got a complete unfill in early January. Once the slip was fixed, I started getting fills. But then my band developed a leak and slipped once again. Since the surgeon I was seeing was less than helpful, I found a new surgeon, Dr. Domkowski, who finally treated me without acting like I was crazy, as my last surgeon did. Based on his recommendations and test results, we decided to do the removal and sleeve in two separate surgeries.

Dr. D removed my band on August 3, 2012. Because of the extent of damage done by the band, including scarring and pulling the fundus through the diaphragm, I am waiting around four months to be sleeved. I'd love to be banded on November 25, which would have been the three year anniversary of my band.

I've gained about 70 lbs since December. Sigh. The good news is my surgeon is not at all concerned about my weight gain. He is 100% convinced that I'll lose it all once I'm sleeved, since I was so successful with the band. I'm a bit of a goody two-shoes, and I followed the rules to a "T", and I intend to do the same with the sleeve.

I hope the next four months fly by!

I have to be at the hospital in about 6 hours! Going to try to sleep for a few but I'm pretty nervous! This is it guys! Good luck to my other sleevers today!!!

GOOD LUCK EVERYTHING WILL B GREAT!!!

Hello all! I was sleeved yesterday. I am home and feeling fine. It was almost easy. Well' date=' at least compared to what I thought it would be. The hardest part was trying to get some sleep in the hospital. I am tender and sore and a bit tired. But I feel strong and confident. I am happy to be in my quiet home. Thanks to all for your suppot. And, hey there sleevers to be, QUIT WORRYING!! Unless you use that emotion to clean. It was great walking into a clean, quiet house. Seriously, don't worry. Goodnight all.[/quote']

That's just what I needed to hear! Feeling like I have major changes coming in more ways than one. So this weekend, I'll clean. ☺

Hi, All!

Been a tough recovery due to a serious hernia. But I am surviving.

Six days post-op, and I am HUNGRY. HUNGRY. I had a pudding last night, which did nothing to fill me up. My doc tells me it's normal, but it still concerns me. Anyone else??

Hi, All!

Been a tough recovery due to a serious hernia. But I am surviving.

Six days post-op, and I am HUNGRY. HUNGRY. I had a pudding last night, which did nothing to fill me up. My doc tells me it's normal, but it still concerns me. Anyone else??

Hi, timetobefree!

Gosh, I was beginning to think it was just me. I also had a hernia repaired during my surgery, and my discomfort seemed to last much longer than what I'm reading from other posters. I was on a clear liquid diet for 2 weeks pre-op and am on a liquid diet through Week 4 post-op (clear sugar-free liquids and protein shakes only). I've adhered to that, but I would give ANYTHING to taste something else at this point (13 days post-op). I'm "full" from the shakes and vitamins, but am craving different flavors. Pudding sounds like heaven . What is your post-op diet?

Hello all! I was sleeved yesterday. I am home and feeling fine. It was almost easy. Well' date=' at least compared to what I thought it would be. The hardest part was trying to get some sleep in the hospital. I am tender and sore and a bit tired. But I feel strong and confident. I am happy to be in my quiet home. Thanks to all for your suppot. And, hey there sleevers to be, QUIT WORRYING!! Unless you use that emotion to clean. It was great walking into a clean, quiet house. Seriously, don't worry. Goodnight all.[/quote']

Sitting here waiting to go to hospital. Thanks for the encouraging words. Not worried so much as being a control freak that I am I just don't like the feeling of letting go. More to come....

Hello all! I was sleeved yesterday. I am home and feeling fine. It was almost easy. Well' date=' at least compared to what I thought it would be. The hardest part was trying to get some sleep in the hospital. I am tender and sore and a bit tired. But I feel strong and confident. I am happy to be in my quiet home. Thanks to all for your suppot. And, hey there sleevers to be, QUIT WORRYING!! Unless you use that emotion to clean. It was great walking into a clean, quiet house. Seriously, don't worry. Goodnight all.[/quote']

Oh and congratulations. Sorry hehe

Hi' date=' timetobefree!

Gosh, I was beginning to think it was just me. I also had a hernia repaired during my surgery, and my discomfort seemed to last much longer than what I'm reading from other posters. I was on a clear liquid diet for 2 weeks pre-op and am on a liquid diet through Week 4 post-op (clear sugar-free liquids and protein shakes only). I've adhered to that, but I would give ANYTHING to taste something else at this point (13 days post-op). I'm "full" from the shakes and vitamins, but am craving different flavors. Pudding sounds like heaven . What is your post-op diet?[/quote']

Steph, hang in there. I am about to go to the hospital this morning to be sleeved and I am having a hernia fixed as well. You guys are dealing with head hunger. Try distracting yourself. Go for a walk think about something besides eating. I think we have been so focused on this eating plan for so long it becomes consuming. Put it in perspective. It's only for a little bit and then we can have real food again. It's the light at the end of the tunnel. You guys can do this.

Steph, hang in there. I am about to go to the hospital this morning to be sleeved and I am having a hernia fixed as well. You guys are dealing with head hunger. Try distracting yourself. Go for a walk think about something besides eating. I think we have been so focused on this eating plan for so long it becomes consuming. Put it in perspective. It's only for a little bit and then we can have real food again. It's the light at the end of the tunnel. You guys can do this.

So funny, that's exactly what I said to my fiance. I'm not "hungry", I'm missing the "idea" and "experience" of food. You know what I'm craving?? Salad! Spinach and broccoli :-). Thanks for your support!

Having been banded for 2+ years, I am pretty used to the difference between head and real hunger, and I am pretty sure I am hungry-hungry. I am shaky, light-headed, and my stomach is growling and won't stop.

But you are right. I will survive and this is a small price to pay for the ultimate goal. I am about to eat a yogurt, hoping that will help. I've already had 30 ounces of Water this morning, trying to fill me up to no avail. But I am going to keep keepin on!

In a few months, this will be but a small memory!

Been sleeved for one week and two days, all is going well. I can understand about the feeling of missing food and the experience, I have noticed how much of my life revolved around food and going out to meals. I've saved a crap load of money and I've been trying to figure out how to spend my time besides eating, I've been walking a lot and spending time with my daughter. At first I wasn't hungry at all, that last for about 5 days. The last few days I have been very hungry. I did start eating more strained soup, I am on a smooth liquid diet. I am taking in around 500-800 calories a day, I hope that is within Normal limits. I have no pain, maybe some discomfort sometimes and some twinges of pain when I Drink too fast but I think that's the way to tell me to slow down so I don't get over full. My belly is still pretty bruised from the lovenox shots and the surgery itself, my incisions sometimes are a bit sore now, maybe I'm using my stomach muscles too much. All in all things are going good. Can't wait for my next appt. so my surgeon will let me eat real food. It's also funny how people don't want to eat around me, I actually don't mind since when I eat my soup I am satisfied like I ate a full meal, I think they think I'm missing out, when it was my idea to do this because I don't want to eat so much and be healthier. Anyone else experience this? Anyway, just wanted to check in, hope all is good for everyone, here's wishing for speedy recoveries the everyone!

Been sleeved for one week and two days' date=' all is going well. I can understand about the feeling of missing food and the experience, I have noticed how much of my life revolved around food and going out to meals. I've saved a crap load of money and I've been trying to figure out how to spend my time besides eating, I've been walking a lot and spending time with my daughter. At first I wasn't hungry at all, that last for about 5 days. The last few days I have been very hungry. I did start eating more strained soup, I am on a smooth liquid diet. I am taking in around 500-800 calories a day, I hope that is within Normal limits. I have no pain, maybe some discomfort sometimes and some twinges of pain when I Drink too fast but I think that's the way to tell me to slow down so I don't get over full. My belly is still pretty bruised from the lovenox shots and the surgery itself, my incisions sometimes are a bit sore now, maybe I'm using my stomach muscles too much. All in all things are going good. Can't wait for my next appt. so my surgeon will let me eat real food. It's also funny how people don't want to eat around me, I actually don't mind since when I eat my soup I am satisfied like I ate a full meal, I think they think I'm missing out, when it was my idea to do this because I don't want to eat so much and be healthier. Anyone else experience this? Anyway, just wanted to check in, hope all is good for everyone, here's wishing for speedy recoveries the everyone![/quote']

I have experienced everything you just wrote about! Everything had been going fairly easy until yesterday. I ate some Greek yogurt early in the day. Then last night I Ate some Water down tomato soup very thin. For the rest of the night I felt an upset stomach and it made me really nervous that I may have overdone it. Has anybody else experienced this I hope I didn't do anything bad to my stomach I know it's still healing. I have followed the stage III liquid diet so strictly I hope I didn't mess it up with this mail

I have experienced everything you just wrote about! Everything had been going fairly easy until yesterday. I ate some Greek yogurt early in the day. Then last night I Ate some Water down tomato soup very thin. For the rest of the night I felt an upset stomach and it made me really nervous that I may have overdone it. Has anybody else experienced this I hope I didn't do anything bad to my stomach I know it's still healing. I have followed the stage III liquid diet so strictly I hope I didn't mess it up with this mail

I actually have done this. When I decided to start eating a little bit more to satisfy myself a bit more than a half cup of soup, it happened. I was really really full and uncomfortable with some pain twinges most of that night. I figured I had over done it too. I scaled back on the amount of soup and ate slower so that my body could tell me when to stop. Since then I haven't done that to myself. I think the key is eating or drinking slower so that your stomach isn't overwhelmed with so much at once.

I actually have done this. When I decided to start eating a little bit more to satisfy myself a bit more than a half cup of soup, it happened. I was really really full and uncomfortable with some pain twinges most of that night. I figured I had over done it too. I scaled back on the amount of soup and ate slower so that my body could tell me when to stop. Since then I haven't done that to myself. I think the key is eating or drinking slower so that your stomach isn't overwhelmed with so much at once.

I learn so much from you guys, Thanks for going first. This is day two post op. Bending over to put on socks hurts. Guessing this is normal.