B.Annie

I'm up north in Prescott and my surgeon is in Phoenix - Dr Sprunger. I'm still preop. There doesn't seem to be many Arizonans on this site and if there are, they're all down south. Lol HW: 328 (02/22/17) SW: TBD CW: 292

Congrats! From your screen name I assume you're from AZ? If so, what part and whose your surgeon? HW: 328 (02/22/17) SW: TBD CW: 292

Also, notice on this forum there are groups for sleeves, RNY, and band to bypass revisions. There is no forum for people getting a band simply because there is no reason to get it. Having a forum specifically for those who have to have a SECOND surgery to change their band to a bypass should tell you all there is to know about bands. HW: 328 (02/22/17) SW: TBD CW: 292

My surgeon said he (and all of his colleagues) refuse to do lap bands anymore due to the low success rate and constant hassle. He recommended RNY - full gastric bypass - because it's been proven for over 50 years. My surgeon was trained by the surgeon who created this type of surgery so he is biased toward it lol. Anyway, after research, it is best for me anyway due to over all weight loss (60-80% average excess weight loss). Sleevers don't lose as much weight (45-65% average excess weight loss) though there are certainly pros and cons to both. And it's not unheard of to loose all of your excess weight on either option. Do your research on surgeons and ask a lot of questions! HW: 328 (02/22/17) SW: TBD CW: 292

Congrats! Is that amount total from your high weight or since your surgery? HW: 328 (02/22/17) SW: TBD CW: 292

Maybe! My app when I had an android phone let me do more than the app I'm using on my iPhone. Either way, going directly to the persons profile on apps or the direct website should allow you to block. Good luck and welcome! This site is full of a lot of honest people who make it comfortable to be open here. Like family, there are always a select few who are a bit too comfortable speaking every thought. Lol HW: 328 (02/22/17) SW: TBD CW: 292

Not sure if this helps since I'm using the app. If you click on the user name of the person you wish to block, in the upper right corner is an ellipses (3 dots). When you click on those dots, you have an option to block/ignore that user. (I used your profile as an example since it doesn't give you an option to use your own for this) HW: 328 (02/22/17) SW: TBD CW: 292

I'm confused as to why this is an argument. #1 there are very big risks to this surgery. We all are informed of that going in. We do it for the reward in spite of the risk. So someone died. Tragic event and all together possible. Why deny this one when we know it's a risk? #2 how hard is it to sign a contract saying you'll bring an adult companion with you to Mexico and then bring a teen companion? Saying it's not possible to bring a teen is like saying it's not possible to lie. Goodness. #3 Not every surgeon has deaths for the simple fact that some Surgeons are a bit more picky on whom they operate on - agreeing to less risky patients or requiring patients take steps to become less risky (ex. lose weight) prior to authorization. If you haven't seen "my 600 pound life" where it discusses surgeons who refuse to operate on certain individuals, then you haven't done the most basic of research. Though asking your own surgeon is probably easier. People go to Mexico for surgery usually because they want a cheaper and more easily approved surgery with a surgeon who won't deny them so quickly or require more effort on the patient part before hand. The fact that more people die on a table with this route is the risk you take when you choose cheap and "easy" over harder and more expensive. If you're shocked by it, then I fear you haven't considered common sense. HW: 328 (02/22/17) SW: TBD CW: 292

If "starvation mode" was real, starving kids in 3rd world countries, French models, or anorexics wouldn't weigh so little. Ask one of them if we 1st world tubbies are in starvation mode. Lol [emoji13] I personally think it's just another thing we try to convince ourselves of. If you have weight to lose, you will lose it. Google "is starvation mode real". There are some good articles. What IS real is your body needing either more calories to kick metabolism in gear again or your body trying to readjust to the weight lost by pausing a bit before it realizes you're not done and it has to let go more. I was on a 2 week stall (I'm pre surgery). I spent a weekend on vacation where I ate between 1700-2000 calories a day for 3 days. My normal caloric intake is from 1000-1200. I also didn't work out for 6 days when normally I was at the gym 4 days a week. The past 2 days after vacation, I put myself on a diet similar to my intended preop diet. Premier drink for breakfast and lunch and a sensible meal (protein and veg) for dinner. I've lost 6 pounds in the last 2 days. I just had to reset and retrick my body. HW: 328 (02/22/17) SW: TBD CW: 292

I love this community too because of that! I have never even told anyone my weight before. Here I feel free because we are all in this together in some way. And that means that we all can pass along what we have struggled through ourselves or learned from others. I'm so glad everyone posts and is honest on this site because I feel comfortable being like a sister in my own truthful sharing and advice. HW: 328 (02/22/17) SW: TBD CW: 292

Everyone has said what you need to hear so I will only reiterate... My husband ONLY supports this because he knows I am 100% for it. He has mentioned numerous times that he doesn't think I should do it. Really comes down to his disdain or fear of what he considers "unnecessary surgery" (root of that is seeing someone you love in pain for what he would consider optional). I know he will support me even though if I were to show any sign of discomfort with it, he will hope to talk me out of it. Because of that, I haven't asked him to be a part of this journey AT ALL except to understand my reasons - which he ultimately does. If you're 100% certain of this choice, and if you have explained your stance and your husband says he will support it whether he has a different stance or not, leave him alone about it! Stop making this about him or comparing him to others +1. Give him a chance to support you how he feels comfortable and stop pushing him to a breaking point with it. He's clearly loving you the best way he can with this topic and your just picking at a wound for him. You're the problem in this one. Not him. So just trust him and leave him alone about it. HW: 328 (02/22/17) SW: TBD CW: 292

Your question DOES have 2 answers depending on how a person reads it. Let me explain both. To provide a few examples of the ability for a stomach to stretch out (for the 'yes' answer to your question): My PCP was the one to refer me for bariatric surgery and at the end of the meeting, she said "this has to be a life change. It won't do anything if you don't change the way you eat. I had an officer manager who I referred the surgery for and she ended up using the surgery as an excuse to only eat mashed potatoes with extra gravy because she said it was all she could stomach. She ate right through her surgery and ended up gaining more weight instead of losing any. "That was her word of warning. I believe we have all heard of our stomachs expanding in capacity. Most dietitians will say that you FEEL hunger more while your stomach is getting back to normal size when you first start a diet. They call it shrinking your stomach. The show 'my 600 pound life' will explain how their surgery patients have stomachs the size of footballs because they've been stretched so much from over eating. Surgery doesn't change the elasticity of your stomach. It just changes the size. Keep it packed full and it will stretch. Basic anatomy. Unfortunately we patients wish so hard to believe that surgery will make it impossible to overeat, we will try to convince ourselves in any way that our stomachs are not capable of stretching. There is more proof of organ elasticity than there is of inelasticity. If we don't change our habits, neither will our organs. However, to answer 'no' to the other form of your question, our stomach will not NATURALLY stretch out without cause. It's like an elastic hair tie. It won't change shape unless you force it to. If you continue to stretch it out, it will eventually stay that way. So yes and no. It does stretch when stretched and it will not do this on its own. HW: 328 (02/22/17) SW: TBD CW: 292

Honestly, Chinese food is one of the biggest food groups I will miss terribly once I have surgery. I haven't had any rice or noodles in months due to low carb de monitored diet and I'm ok with that. But jalapeño chicken and grilled Chinese chicken is my all time favorite. I also enjoy a dumpling or two when at a buffet but not much else. I am glad to know having some Chinese wasn't the primary root of your side effects, but the amount and desert. I hope to enjoy a few bites of Chinese after surgery at some point just for the flavor of Chinese spices. Probably a better hope would be that surgery changes my taste buds to the point where Chinese no longer sounds appealing though. HW: 328 (02/22/17) SW: TBD CW: 292

Mine is the same as this

Puréed chicken does sound rather interesting. I'm preop so have zero experience yet with being required to be on a certain diet and I do understand all Drs are different. I was reading through my post op diet requirements today actually and it never mentioned eating puréed protein specifically, however I do plan on it just to ease into it. I plan on trying baby food. I know from being a mom x3 that the puréed proteins in baby food are bland and disgusting. Im sure it would taste tons different with salt, though I'm not sure how smart that would be to add. I'm just hoping that it will be much better than trying to purée my own meat lol

Started feb 22 of this year and have all of my requirements complete as of this Monday. My insurance allows me to use all consecutive dr visits prior to my consult as part of my 6 mo diet requirements. I've called my surgeons office today to verify they've received everything and see about scheduling a tentative surgery date assuming insurance approves. I've heard of a lot of surgeons who schedule dates with the assumption insurance will approve. That way you don't have to wait extra time after insurance approves.

For me, the chocolate flavored premier protein is the only one I can stomach. Banana and strawberry flavors just make me gag. I prefer premier because the chocolate tastes fine and it has the best nutrients and protein, plus the least sugar and carbs that I've found so far in stores.

I've been on a dr monitored diet for 70 days and lost 32 pounds. I'm currently in a stall for the past 2 weeks so just started something similar to the preop diet to jump start my loss again. Shake for breakfast, lunch, and a sensible dinner (fish and salad for ex.). We will see where that gets me. I started going to the gym last month but haven't been in a week due to vacation and subsequent lethargy. I had 182 to lose - sw 327, gw 145. I'm sure that is a factor in how much you lose preop. I didn't have a weight loss requirement before surgery - just to not weigh more than 327. So anything is progress for me while I adjust to a new lifestyle.

What part of az are you in?

-I broke an exam table in my doctors office. [emoji15] The tech was so embarrassed for me that she made an excuse for me that it was just a drawer and not the table half collapsing. She didn't look me in the eye after that. -I recently had to fly a small airline (30 seat plane) and was reseated for "weight distribution" so the plane wouldn't be off balance.

I broke a doctors table. You know those super sturdy metal based tables they have you sit on during an exam? Broke. I'm looking forward to never having to worry about breaking things I sit on.

Insurance pays for surgery usually. It does not pay for fertility treatments. There is also a possibility that once you are thinner, you will be able to conceive naturally - making you all around healthier for pregnancy and cheaper since your not paying for fertility treatments. As someone in my 30s with a surprise pregnancy after weight loss, I'd personally believe you can wait a year to get pregnant and during that time, get yourself healthy. Makes no sense to do it the other way. You'll still have kids.

Congrats! I haven't heard of insurance denying anyone until now. What were their reasons, if you don't mind me asking?

Regarding the stall in general, my sister and step dad are both body builders/weight lifters who are very well versed in nutrition. Stalling (aka plateau) is very normal. It's your body's way of adjusting to the new you before it realizes your not done changing. Quote from my sister "our body is stupid. It has no idea what we are doing or why and it's goal is to stop us." I've never heard of a dr who didn't know the body well enough to believe the stall.

whey Liquid Protein. It's like a vile of fruit punch you can add to your Water. 42g of Protein per vile. Found at Walmart. Premier protein ready to drinks also found at Walmart. I only personally like the chocolate flavor. 32g protein. ** I add 1 vile of liquid protein to 32 ounces of water so it's not so strong. Tastes decent and the highest protein I've found in a liquid form.