Babbs

First, look up your insurance plan and see what the pre requisites are for bariatric surgery to be covered. A lot of insurances have certain requirements before they approve surgery, such as several months on a weight loss plan under a doctor's care, psychological evaluations and other tests. Then, look for a bariatric surgeon in your area, and they should be able to help you through the process. A lot of bariatric programs have some sort of orientation you can attend to get the basics. Good luck!

Yup. And not long enough It's a very common thing early out. At 2 years out, it still comes and goes with me. More come than go anymore, lol. It will pass.

I think you are going to think it's a peice of cake after the 13 inch scar surgery. Really. Have you had your gall bladder out? It's similar to that. Not bad at all.

Funny, I have a hard time with ice water or very cold drinks. Has to be room temperature.

Don't make things more complicated than they need to be. I do exactly what @@Christinamo7 does. If I make a Protein with a starch and a veggie, I eat the protein and the veggie and skip the starch and let my husband eat it. Most of the time I don't even cook a starch anymore. Better for him anyway As far as eating out, it's harder early out in the liquid and mushy phases. Once you get to normal food, then it gets much easier. You'll just be taking a lot home. No biggie. lunch and dinner the next day!

I mix my Water with these dark, granular crystals and heat it up. Smells and tastes delightful, along with the added benefit of helping my mood.

WLS is a temporary solution to the permanent problem of obesity. It would be great if we could only eat a few bites of food forever and never be hungry again, but that's not how it works unfortunately. That's why it's important to cement your good eating habits for when the honeymoon is finally over (sadly). They'll help carry you through to goal and then the even harder task of maintaining the weight you've lost. You look great and have done so well! Keep up the good work!

Great show. Much better than My 600 Pound Life. I find it's much less exploitive and the surgeon on Fat Doctor is so kind and shows true compassion for his patients. I also think he truly understands how complex the issue of obesity actually is. One episode in particular absolutely broke my heart. Those of you who've seen the shows I'm sure will know which one I'm talking about.

All of that. Although I personally go to the gym, because knowing I'm paying for it every month holds me accountable and forces me to go. That works for ME. I know I could find something else active I love to do and that would just as well And also, how damn GOOD I would feel eating healthier and moving more! It's not just cliche to say it! You really do feel better physically and mentally!

Thanks for that! I'm still going back and forth about whether to move forward with plastics or not. Keep us posted on your progress and I wish you quick, easy healing!

WTF? The SURGERY doesn't fail. We fail the surgery. FYI I'm over 2 year out and below my goal weight. I eat healthy and clean 95% of the time and exercise regularly. Where's the failure?

Most of those complications are extremely rare with the exception of GERD. I have GERD, but had it before the surgery but chose to move forward because in my opinion, the benefits clearly outweighed the risks. I have perfect labs, perfect blood pressure, perfect resting heart rate, and I am at a normal, healthy weight. I look and feel 39 instead of 49. I can run 3 miles and climb almost 100 flights of stairs on the Stair Master. I think having to take a little pill every day for GERD is a small price to pay. Far more benefits than risks.

You probably won't lose at the rates you lost in the beginning. Usually after this first, COMPLETELY NORMAL stall, the weight loss evens out to more average rates of 2-4 pounds a week. Just keep doing what you're doing and it will pass in no time!

If you search "alcohol" in these forums, you will find about 9,326 million threads that turn into a total sh*the storm about the subject. People have varying opinions on the subject and never agree. My experience ? I got to my goal weight by mostly avoiding it and am now maintaining my weight with only moderate consumption as part of an otherwise healthy diet.

You're going to be recovering from major surgery. Uncomfortable and tired for weeks at best, but each day and week that goes by it gets better. Believe it or not, moving around actually helps. Force yourself to walk around even when you don't feel like it. Always remember as you're healing the first few weeks: This too shall pass.

How much do you weigh? Obviously the more you weigh, the longer it may take for you to notice a change. This is why it's important to take measurements all the time. You may not feel it, but I guarantee you've lost inches! Don't overthink it. Be proud of the great start and enjoy it. Keep up the great work!

Which is actually physically impossible until you are fully healed. And even then, it would be hard to eat enough to actually gain legitimate weight until you're many, many months out. You're going to stall in your weight loss, and yes, sometimes a gain will happen when you stall. Happened to me every time right before a stall. It all has to do with glycogen and water storage this early out, and absolutely nothing to do with what you're eating. There. Now you won't fret when it happens, right?

A "stall" a few weeks after surgery is not uncommon, and here's why. Our bodies use glycogen for short term energy storage. Glycogen is not very soluble, but it is stored in our muscles for quick energy -- one pound of glycogen requires 4 lbs. of Water to keep it soluble, and the average glycogen storage capacity is about 2 lbs. So, when a patient is not getting in enough food, the body turns first to stored glycogen, which is easy to break down for energy. Then when 2 lbs. of glycogen is used a patient will also lose 8 lbs. of water that was used to store it -- voila -- the "easy" 10 lbs. that most people lose in the first week of a diet. However, when the body stays in a caloric deficit state the body starts to realize that this is not a short-term problem. Then the body starts mobilizing fat from adipose tissue and burning fat for energy. But the body also realizes that fat can't be used for short bursts of energy. So, it starts converting some of the fat into glycogen, and rebuilding the glycogen stores. As it puts back the 2 lbs. of glycogen into the muscle, 8 lbs. of water has to be stored with it to keep it soluble. So, even though the patient might still be losing energy content to their body, the weight will not go down or it might even gain for a while as the retention of water dissolves the glycogen that is being reformed and stored.

After over 2 years on these forums, the only people I see regretting the surgery are the ones who unfortunately have health issues because of it (very smal percentage), or the ones who go into it thinking it will be this magical thing that will cure all their weight issues (a larger percentage). If you go into this knowing you have to change the way you think, act and even feel about diet and exercise, you'll be successful and have no regrets.

THAT'S what I really wanted to hear...lol. Believe me, I know! *Snert*

And there it is. The dumbest thing I've read on the internet all day.

In the weight loss phase, alcohol should be minimal at best, and only after the cut nerves and the stapled stomach has fully healed. I drank twice during my weight loss phase, and that lasted a year. I was 4 months out the first time around the holidays (half of a Bloody Mary) and the other time was 8 months out in Hawaii with a couple of Mai Tai's because, well, HAWAII. Now below my weight goal and in maintenence, I drink on occasion aside from an otherwise healthy, well balanced diet.

It's called a pannus, and mine never went away, just turned into sagging skin. The only way I'll get rid of it is with surgery. If you have insurance, you may be able to get them to cover removing the skin in that area when you get to goal by seeing a doctor and having them document the yeast issue and any rashes it may cause.

@@laceemouse Just an FYI, because you'de said you have mostly thin friends...... I'm not sure others have found this to be true, but I found my thinner friends were the most supportive when I told them. The ones that usually were the most negative were my overweight/obese friends. Weird, hu?

He seems to be at goal weight, so why would he get rid of more?