elgatogordo

You did not say if you are male or female but it does not matter. I am a 52 year old male and hit 313 lbs when I made the decision to get the lapband. It has turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life. Like you, before the surgery I was in almost constant pain from arthritis and overall bady aches. I did not sleep well at night. I had no energy. And the embarassment of not being able to ride roller coasters with my kids, needing a belt extender on airplanes, breaking beach chairs, etc. destroyed my state of mind and self esteem. I was banded on April 5 so I am almost 2 months out. I am down to 279 and feel 100% better. I cannot recommend the band or the OCC enough. But as you will read throughout this forum, the band is only a tool, not a cure-all. You have to get your mind right and be prepared to work hard at following the rules -- it sometimes can require great discipline. But if you do, the result will be life-changing. You can do it!!

My experience on the liquid phase was pretty similar to yours. When you start solids, the weight loss will slow down. But if you follow Dr. Ortiz's instructions (eat 1/3 less, small bites, chew thoroughly, avoid liquids until 30 min after meals, etc), the weight loss should continue slow but steady. I went on solids on April 26 so I am about 30 days out from that date. I lost 24 lbs on the liquid phase after surgery and then 7 lbs since going on solids. So expect weight loss of about 2 lbs per week after going on solids.

I got banded April 5 and was told no drinkable yogurt until Day 8. I pretty much did all soups but if it was something that had chucks (i.e. cream of rice, cream of potato) I put it through a strainer first.

I was banded April 5 so I am just a little over 30 days out. No fill yet, but I have pretty good success -- I've lost 24 lbs so far since the surget and 31 lbs since starting the pre-op. Here are few things I try to focus on: 1. Like everyone already has said, it's a big investment so follow the rules and try not to cheat. But don't beat yourself up and get depressed if you do -- just get back on track ASAP. (For example, yesterday I went to this great farmer's market near my house and ate more than I should of -- I felt gross but pumped a lot of water and am back on track today, no problems). 2. For me, planning is the key especially since I work in an office and there aren't a lot of healthy food options near where I work. I try to eat a good breakfast every morning and then develop a food "game plan" by which I think at the beginning of the day exactly what I am going to eat during the day. I find my biggest issues occur when I skip a meal and let myself get too hungry (and the hunger for me is super intense because of the smaller amount of food I eat). 3. Drink lots and lots of water or other zero calorie fluids. 4. Try to get some cardio exercise at least 4-5 times a week for 30 minutes. 5. I really try to watch the amount of sodium in food -- you really can retain fluids and have trouble losing weight if you eat too much salty foods. 6. I use a lot of non-sodium spices (garlic, herbs, etc.) to give greater satisfaction with the food I eat. I also eat a lot of good fresh soups, which I fell in love with during the post-op before solid foods. 7. Portion and calorie control is another key for me. Subscribe to some Internet site that will allow you to monitor the amount of calories for portion size. Read food labels carefully. I find food journaling helpful to identify and avoid empty and excess calories that I can avoid during the day, but I am not a zealot where I journal everthing every day. I tend to have a routine where I eat (and enjoy) pretty much the same foods all the time so once I identify the correct portion, it becomes easier for me. But some people need more variety which can require more dilligence. I have found that my body and my mind have changed dramatically since I started this journey. I don't crave the bad stuff I used to eat and drink before. Portion control generally is pretty easy. And when I do mess up, my body lets me know (i.e. I ate a taco the other day and felt gross afterwards) and it's easy to get back on track. These are just my own personal observations and experiences -- Hope they are helpful to someone.

I got banded on April 5. You sure are right -- the post-op diet is pretty tough, gets harder as the end is near. I started at 304, I am down to 290 so I've lost 14 lbs in 19 days. Of that, I lost 12 lbs on the broth phase and 2 lbs on the creamy soup phase. I found you really have to watch the sodium intake -- the salt will have you retaining fluids which will slow down the weight loss. Also, drink lots and lots of water. But six pounds given where you started seems pretty good to me.

Man, do I hear you. I am on day 11 of liquid diet, had my first "creamy soup" today. Ate some split pea soup, it was maybe the greatest thing I ever ate. I really need to chew something!!! But the good news is I've lost 14 pounds in 11 days, so the torture definitely is worth it.

I got banded this past Monday (Apr 5) so I am just nearing the end of the first week liquid diet. Some days it has been real easy, other days a little more difficult. I have never been one who was into meditation, but I have adopted a Zen-like approach to the post-surgery liquid diet -- I know it has to be done, I know it sometimes will be difficult so I try to reach a place of inner peace and just get through it. So far, it's working. Since Monday I have lost 11 pounds. The biggest issue I have had has been gas, so make sure you stock up on plenty of Gas-X strips. Here is what I have used for the first week liquid diet: 1. The day after surgery, I made a giant pot of homemade chicken stock. Buy some cut-up chickens, carrots, celery, onions, etc. and boil in a large stock-pot for a whole day. Then, strain out the liquid and put in a refrigerator to cool. Then, skim the fat. I live on this stock, it has been a lifesaver and tastes much better than canned chicken broth or bouillon. 2. My other lifesaver has been popsicles. 3. For drinks, I have been drinking sugar-free vitamin water and Sobe Life Water, diluted orange and cranberry juice and some coffee every day. That's about it for me. When I get up in the morning, I have a cup of black coffee and a glass (12 oz) of diluted orange or cranberry juice. For lunch and dinner,I have a cup of broth, two popsicles and another glass of juice. And lots of water throughout the day. One other thing -- make sure you take a couple of days and get good rest. I was feeling good the day after the surgery so I went back to work and tried to get back to a normal life right away. Big mistake. I got very sore, so I've been resting a lost more the past few days and feel much better.

Thanks for the responses. I'm feeling better now than yesterday but the gas still is a significant problem. Glad to hear it will get better, I will drink lots of water today and take a few long walks. Congratulations on your weight loss - very impressive. I hope I can do as well.

I just got banded on Monday and have a few questions that I hope to get answers about: 1. Is tomato juice or Clamato juice an acceptable juice to drink during the first two weeks? 2. My incision sites are real itchy and tender. Is it okay to rub some cream on them (maybe Vitamin E cream)? 3. Did anyone else have serious gas the first few days? What can I do about it? 4. How did everyone get fiber during the first two weeks? Happy to be a new member of the group.