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JC, Dr. Szomstein is my dr. too! I know it's going to take a long time. I started in July and don't expect surgery till Dec 2003 or Jan 2004. I originally went to US Bariatrics at Holy Cross, but they only want to talk me into RNY. I have about 85 pounds to loose and I don't care if it takes me 2 years to loose it (US Bariatric's big plug for RNY is that you loose it faster and that it's the "gold standard"!) 4-5 lbs a month is fine with me and a less risky, reversible (if necessary) procedure is why I want the band!!!!! Oh Well....in the mean time, I'm waiting! Keep in touch and GO DOLPHINS! Marsha

I had the sleeve done at the end of November, 2013. It was a band to sleeve revision. I was what I would have called a "slow loser" but found out some things I was doing wrong. So, I changed some of what I was doing - went to 1000 calories/day, added fruits and vegetables to my diet instead of just Protein and began walking and working out some. Now, I know you're going to say, "If you're working out you're adding muscle which weighs more than fat." Ok, I'm not working out THAT hard. A couple of weeks ago I had an NSV by getting into size 20 clothes from a size 26/28. I hit the 40 pound loss mark in 4 months. I was feeling really good. But things have changed. I'm still in a 20, which I'm happy about. But I'm losing my hair. The one thing that I have ALWAYS prided myself on. Even when I was over 300 pounds, my hair always looked good. It was healthy, bouncy and in really good shape. Then, pieces of it started coming out when I showered. I'd go to soap myself up and have to remove strands of hair from the bar of soap. I thought, "Well, that's the price of bariatric surgery I suppose." I started taking Biotin after reading some messages on here. I also made sure I got at least 60 grams or more of protein a day and have been averaging over 60 grams a day for over a month now. I thought it probably wasn't as bad as I was making it out to be. Then, I went to my hair dresser for a cut yesterday. She started washing my hair and said, "Oh my, you're really getting thin." My daughter is getting married in 2 months and my hairdresser said we may have to get a hair piece to help cover up some of thinness if it doesn't get any better. What?!?!?!?!?!? Are you frickin' kidding me? Oh, and it gets worse. I stepped on the scale this morning and was 3 pounds heavier!! WHAT?!?!?!!?!?!?!? I've been following my diet strictly and haven't gone over 1000 calories. I've looked at the snack cakes in my daughter's snack drawer and walked away. ARE YOU FRICKIN' KIDDING ME?!?!?!? 3 POUNDS?!?!?!!?!?!? And this is after a 2 week plateau. I'm ready to give up. I know this weight didn't come on over night but I really expected more than 40 pounds in 4 months. And, I know that we all have weight fluctuations but mine have only been a pound here and there. 3 pounds? Higher??? That's crazy. If I was cheating, sure, I can see that. But I'm not. I'm a bit fed up. I don't want to hear about losing inches vs. pounds and changing things up. I've done that. I guess I just want to bitch and complain. Has anyone else gone through this mental torture and how did you get your HEAD back in the game? I'm beating myself and my sleeve up right now. I need a mental kick in the ass. Any advice?

Hi Y'all! My name is Mariah. I am attending a bariatric seminar this coming saturday but I have pretty much made up my mind to have the surgery especially since it is covered by my insurance. My main question is this: does it hurt when they pull the drain out? can you describe what it feels like? also, how long before I can go back to work? What will be my total recovery time? since i'm young does that affect the loose skin I will have? thanks

I have summer clothes..2pairs of crops and 4 tops for someone who needs them. They are from Catherine's and the Avenue stores. I'm in Baltimore. I'm willing to meet you in DE, southern PA, or DC metro. I also have some Bariatric Advantage chewable Calcium and vanilla Vitamins for free. I will also have a selection of size 28 turtleneck rubbed sweaters from LB also. Thank you.

Really I think you need to see a qualified Bariatric nutritionist. Congratulations on losing the 102 lbs. that is fantastic! We can all tell you what we do, or don't do but we all have different stats. Like heights, exercise regimes, jobs, even where we live can make a difference etc. There are a lot of threads about plateaus and you can search for them and read it all but none of it will be as succinct as a nutritionist that you get on with and trust. I personally have not read about any sleeve patient that can get in 1500 cals per day in the first year or so, but that is not to say there are none around. There are also a lot of books, many of which you can download, which will help with post surgery dietary requirements. I am a bit concerned about the sugar question, do you mean carbs found in fruit and veges or do you mean sugar added? If you mean sugar added the answer is none full stop. I am sure you will get more answers but I hope this helps in the meantime.

Welcome!! I was banded back on April 5, 2011. So far I am down 50lbs. And I have to say this was the best decision I have ever made in my life. I have no regrets, so far. I chose the band verses any other bariatric surgery because it is one with the least complications and it is removable! Plus you lose the weight at a more healthy pace than lets say gastric bypass. I also have 3 children and they are my world. My mother died at 48 from complications from obesity. When I hit 30 I realized I was very close to ending up like my mother. I was pre diabetic and hypertensive. I refuse to die at a young age. I did not want to leave my family that young. My mothers death tore apart our family. I am now at a healthy blood sugar level and have good blood pressure again. I am now 31 and have a better prospect for my life than I did a year ago. I still have about 120lbs to go before I hit my goal weight but I have no doubt I will make it. Good luck on your research! This is a fantastic forum to get any info you need. I have been addicted since I first found it. Great support system here! Karrie

don't know a thing about LV area, but I am in reno and we have a great team at Western Bariatric. They are part of the centers of excellence, so if s.nev doesn't work come see these guys. Western Bariatric Institute :: Home i believe, or just google it.

We had our 3rd support meeting tonight. It usually runs from 4:30pm - 6pm, but we had a bigger group & did a round table (a few minutes with each person), so we didn't get out until around 6;30pm. I enjoyed listening to everyone's story & hearing about their triumphs and struggles. During our 1st meeting back in January we decided everyone would bring at least one bariatric friendly recipe to each meeting, so 6 months down the road, they would gather all our recipes & create a little book for everyone. We put our names on each so we get credit, and they're going to have the NUT confirm nutritional the values. I happen to be the type of person that likes to cook & try new recipes as time permits, so I brought 7 or 8 recipes with me We talked about protein bars & which ones everyone liked. The winners were Quest protein bars, which also have a very high fiber content (17 grams in the White Rasberry Chocolate flavor I ate earlier) with 190 calories, and Pure Protein which averages around 200 calories but has a lower fiber content. Someone else chimed in about PB2, which I've heard of, but didn't know anything about it until tonight. I guess this is a powder peanut butter that you add a little water to.. I guess it turns into a slightly grainy peanut butter. Traditional peanut butter contains about 180 calories, while two tablespoons (approximately 12 grams) of PB2 powder, and contains just 53 calories. I hear it tastes OK, just not sure I want to try this. When it was my turn to speak, I talked about the fact that I've been getting really diz zy & light-headed almost on a daily basis. I thought it was an issue with my not meeting my protein requirements, which I thought was supposed to be 60-70 oz. The registered dietician asked me how much I was getting & I told her my average was probably 50ish. She said anything over 40-45 oz is perfectly acceptable. Remember, I'm on maintenance not in the beginning phase. Then she asked me about my fluid intake. I told her around 30 oz per day. It's something that I struggle with daily! B-I-N-G-O! More than likely, I'm getting dehydrated & am at high risk of having low potassium levels as well. I need to have at least 64 oz per day (actually we all do) and because I drink of 6-8 oz of chai tea (that has caffeine in it), I'm dehydrating myself more. She suggested I try 6 oz of V8 juice every day for a week. She thought that would help keep me more hydrated & boost my potassium & sodium levels. I thought V8 had a higher salt content, but she thinks my body needs it. She suggested I only do it for a week to get myself going then focus on getting those liquids in. Note to self: Gotta keep up with those required fluids to reduce potential issues with constipation AND more importantly, avoid the chance of getting hospitalized as a result of dehydration. So not worth it!

Please...3 months is rabid overkill, especially for a sleeve, band, or bypass. These are simple, minimally-invasive laporascopic surgeries. My sleeve was a same-day procedure: I was operated on in the morning and sent home that night. Those with no complications and sedentary jobs often return to work in 1 week. Those with complications, slower healing, and/or laborious jobs usually return to work in 2 to 4 weeks. But 3 months (12 whopping weeks)? The bariatric coordinator who said that is living in La La Land among the ivory towers and unicorns who fart rainbows.

I just went to a seminar on calcium and WLS. I don't know what you read, but the studies presented stated significant bone density is lost by bariatric patients post surgery because only 5% continue to take supplements after the first year. I also learned that although we need 1500 mgs a day, our bodies can only absorb 500 at one time, so it should be taken three times a day rather than at one time. Absorption is also affected by PPIs and iron, so we have to be careful of what we take it with. I'm erring on the side of caution and keeping calcium in my life forever.

I'm home after stopping to have lunch on the way back. It was entirely uneventful. I love my bariatric team. They had the right blend of leaving me alone to read and relax with intermittent stopping by to chat and make me chuckle while I was waiting for my turn. I'll be working with many if not all of the same peeps when I have the big surgery, and it was great knowing I'll feel comfortable with them! Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 using VST

My doctor said that if the bariatric Vitamins make you sick, take 1 Flintstone twice a day or try Centrum twice a day. My surgery was 12/3 so I am at the point that I will just get ones I can swallow (not chewable). I also take a B12, a Calcium citrate (twice a day), and Omega 3. Hope that helps ya!

I went into this wanting the sleeve (I was pretty hell bent on getting it) as it was less invasive and I didn't want them messing with my intestines (lol) but when I had my first appt with my surgeon I decided to keep an open mind. We discussed both options and he told me he thinks I would do great with either one. He said the RNY would be a bit more powerful and of course I'm thinking "I could sure use more power" lol. My surgeon asked if I had a acid reflux and I told him that I've had some episodes of it but it's nothing crazy.He then told me that the sleeve could make it worse and the RNY cures it. When I went home I thought about it, did more research and discussed it with my husband. Over the following month I made a decision the have Gastric Bypass. I also talked to a friend of mine who has been sleeved for 4 years and recently started having episodes of acid reflux and she's never had it previous to being sleeved, but even with that she's happy and has lost and maintained her fat lost. @greeneyezz My advice is to make sure you do your research to make the best informed decision for you because the fact is that anyone can complications with any kind of surgery, including bariatric surgery.

i actually posted this question on insurance board, but am hoping to get more responses on this one! i spoke with my bariatric clinic when i faxed them my insurance card which takes effect 1/1/07, and she said that she'll send in a request for payment. until then i just have to sit and wait for a response. this doesn't sound right to me! isn't this when i should be giving my insurance company all my ww weight books and all my other methods of weight loss that i've tried with no success? i just feel that this is precious time that's being wasted! she said they have to get the initial approval before i can go see the psychologist...which costs $800!!! i bout fell over!!! i guess what i'm wondering if i really do have to wait for a denial before i get a chance to show my insurance company what i've tried? seems like a run-around to me! hope to hear some insight on this! :help: :help: :help: :help: :help:

If you started out with a not-so-good bariatric surgeon who somehow deceived you into choosing the band (I'd like to hear more about how he did that), there's no guarantee that you'd have better success with the bypass. It's great that you've found a better surgeon. I hope the rest of your WLS journey goes more smoohly now.

Have you seriously considered getting some counseling / therapy around your impulsive eating? This is clearly a behavior you want to gain control over. That doesn't generally happen because people "encourage" you to do better. You should find new ways to recognize and respond to eating triggers in your life. Based on my counseling experience (since June 2014) with a counselor who works with bariatric patients a lot, this could be helpful to you. Very best to you.

Firstly don't worry about the fact that you haven't had many replies to your previous posts- this is such a busy forum and so many new threads each day, I couldn't keep up with all of them and most people just look at a few. I am similar to you, although I have only been banded since November and had one fill so far and pretty good restriction from it so I am one of the lucky ones. I postponed my appointment for my second fill as I am busy and I am still losing. I also don't want to experience being over restricted as the one time I got stuck it was awful and the few times I have had sliming have not been nice either. I discussed it with my bariatric team and they said that if I am still losing to wait a while for my fill. I know I can eat more than some bandsters (some seem to live on fresh air), but I like the fact that I can eat salad and veggies which some that I know can't. I don't eat ice cream and have managed to stay clear of chocolate mostly (just a few at Christmas) so I am going to wait until my weight plateaus before booking my fill. I have lost 52lbs since my pre op diet started in August and gone down 3 clothing sizes so I feel I am not doing too bad. Do let us know how you progress BSwhip, it is tough knowing what to do best and comparing yourself to other people who prefer their bands to be really tight isn't always helpful. Very best of luck, you are doing great! Sue Ps just joined a gym for the first time and going along for my induction this morning -hoping that will help boost the weight loss

Welcome! Glad you found this forum -- it has been incredibly helpful for me as I've gone through this process. There's a lot of great info and advice here! I lost about 70 pounds in the 5 months before surgery, and hands down, the best thing I did to prepare was logging everything I ate in MyFitnessPal. I think that was the key to my pre-surgery weight loss and is something I've continued since my surgery. There are other similar apps (there's one called Baritastic that's specifically made for bariatric surgery patients), but I started with MyFitnessPal and liked it, so I'm sticking with it. I think it's also a good idea to get into the habit of drinking more water and tracking your water intake (you can do that in MyFitnessPal, too). I didn't really work out before surgery, and maybe it would have helped if I had started earlier, but I started a few months after surgery and now I work out and take walks every day.

I ordered some fruit protein drink powder from American Bariatrics - it is a little like Crystal Light. It comes in several flavors. I couldn't do the shakes, but I really enjoy these fruit drinks. They are 90 calories and have 15 grams of protein! Mix it with 8 or 10 ounces of water, and you are getting in liquids, calories, AND protein! They have really helped me to meet my minimums. And yes - take those supplements. I have known others who have not and have landed back in the hospital with complications.

Life Is Hard, Food Is Easy by Linda Spangle The Emotional First Aid Kit: A Practical Guide to Life After Bariatric Surgery by Cynthia Alexander

1) 45 lb. in 3.5 months is actually a good weight loss especially with a band. 2) Esophageal stacking is bad news and can lead to bad health problems. Personally, if I had it, I would be asking about a revision to another WLS, not going to see a shrink. (Though maybe your surgeon wants you to go for other reasons?) 3) Mini-bypass is WORSE NEWS. The surgery is dangerous and people gain their weight back. The American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgeons does not include mini-bypass in their list of viable procedures and reputable docs don't do this procedure. But there are other WLS types you can revise to such as the regular bypass, the sleeve and the duodenal switch. Since you have done so well with the band, I would consider a restriction-only surgery like the sleeve over something with malabsorption like bypass or the switch. But those others are viable options too. Here's a chart that explains the differences: Weight-Loss Surgeries Compared

Hi all! I'm simply putting this out there to see what YOUR experience has been- not for a thorough lambasting! Regarding carbonated beverages ( non-alcoholic)- on my NUT list it clearly states no carbonated beverages. I asked her about this. We have a very good report and she knows I'm ridiculously compliant. However, I have always been a Diet Coke fanatic. I asked her why it was forbidden. (Keep in mind I'm dealing with a HUGE top rated health care system, some of the best bariatrics in the states- so I really value their knowledge and opinion.) Her reply was this- MOST patients are not compliant. If you give them an inch, they take a foot. And then they get into trouble. An occasional Diet Coke turns easily into a three can a day addiction. Sometimes people go all the way over and start drinking "regular" pop. However, there really isn't any solid evidence that carbonated beverages ON OCCASION do any harm to your new stomach. This was MY experience- what has yours been? I will say that YES I have had a few Diet Cokes since my surgery. However, where I once would have downed the thing in an hour, I only had 5 or 6 sips and that was enough for me to "taste" my old friend

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Wendell! I'm hoping you're right. :huggie: I think I may go ahead and call the bariatric nurse on Monday just to be safe.

Thanks all! Kimmr--I looked at my specific company policy and my bariatric max is unlimited, so no issues with that. GivingItMyAll--I think I qualify under 2nd bullet also... Wheetsin--I got the impression that the insurance companies only considers it a revision if it's done in one surgery (because I'm having to do the 3 month program again before the sleeve is submitted for approval). I'm worried that my band will be removed and I won't qualify for the sleeve because of my BMI and no comorbidities... I'm going to see if the insurance person will just submit both right now without waiting for the 90 days...I'll copy this portion of my policy and email her. Just got a call to schedule my removal...more news soon as I hear something!

Hey Crystal, I'm in your exact same boat, but I've gone through the revision from band to sleeve. Here's my deal: I have Aetna insurance, and I have the exact same wording in my policy that you posted above. However (I'm not sure if you have this or not), I have a $10,000 lifetime bariatric max. As such, if my surgeon was willing to, I wanted to do it all in one surgery. The hospital portion (vs the surgeon's fee) is the much more expensive side of the equation when it comes to surgery (at least for me), so going through two surgeries with a $10K max was sort of financially impossible for me. So anyway, my surgeon was willing to do the revision in one surgery. She put together a pretty good argument for me, and we submitted for approval. Aetna approved me in less than a week. They approved a lapband explant and a vertical sleeve, so exactly what I needed. I'm not sure which bullet point they approved me under, but frankly, I don't really care...I just needed a pre-approval. I did my revision 9 days ago.