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There were lots of little rewards for each 5 or 10 lbs...my indulgence/addiction is books, so I would spend the amount of $=pounds lost in books. Others included: a bra-fitting and some new fitting bra's (really, it did wonders psychologically as well as affecting how my clothes fit); new hair cut and colors; manicure; new shoes; a trip to visit my sister (hadn't done that in 8 years); books, books, and more books.....

It's a stall. I'm in one too. They're frustrating as all hell but unavoidable. Our bodies are adjusting and need a break from losing. I'm at Week 18 and have been stalled 3 weeks. I'm eating the right foods and calories, enough protein, enough water, enough exercise but still no loss yet. Hanging in there.

Multi-vitamins are a smart thing for every human being so keeping them on my kitchen window sill is not a big deal in my eyes. My kid takes a multi and keeps his on his bathroom counter. I would the same, but my bathroom counter is full of hair products, perfume/body sprays, and face cream. As for eating, early out I did all the "sneaky" things when I was at a social and couldn't eat a lot of food. I would put small portions of just about everything on my plate, and eat what I could. Then I would push the food to the outside of the plate, move the food around so the bottom of the plate would show through, and people never questioned this technique. As for the mother situation, you can just tell her "mom, your cooking is fabulous, but this year, I'm sticking to smaller portions, and making a conscious effort to get healthy. Even though your food is fabulous, don't be upset if I don't eat a bunch of it. I'm really giving this a "go" for my future health."

Hello all- I was pictured on the Doctor's tv show that aired Dec 27. It was their 100,000 lb weight loss challenge. I was wondering if anyone might have recorded this show. I would like a copy of the 1 minute that they showed my picture/talked about my lapband story, If you have it please contact me! I have honestly tried all over and cannot find it. If you know how to find it online please share!

Last time I got my hair cut was the first week of November and I'd lost 60lbs. I had the same gal today. She remembered me and couldn't believe I've lost 118 lbs. she said my hair is growing in, hair loss wasn't bad really. My hairs just a little finer now. She made no comment that I was losing any hair.

Hi there, I just saw this video on the tube and wondered if one of you are the interviewee? [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SZzXV85dyw]YouTube - Dr. Ortiz - Interview Canadian Patient 10 weeks after surger[/ame] Dr Ortiz has some excellent videos posted with testimonials and some generic information. I am six months post-op and heading back down to OCC for a fill in March. Hopefully, that will restart my weight loss that has stalled for a few months. cujo

I had my first drink about two months out with no issues. I could only have one though, it felt like I had two. Now on occasion I will have a cocktail (not a sweet one) but because it makes my weight loss stall, I don't do it often, maybe at a party.

Hi Grama, Thank you for the info. When I called the surgeon's office they told me to go to the seminar, bring the packet with me, which was asking about my history, diet history, weight, weight loss attempts and doctor info. They told me after the seminar, they would contact me to schedule an appointment with the surgeon. I went to see my primary care physician on Friday and told her what I was planning and she just said if the lap band doc needed anything, then she would gladly comply. So, now I guess it all rests in what the surgeon wants. I hope it is soon though. I hope you get yours soon and good luck to you. :crying:

I was not on medicare but my surgeon originally said I had to loose 30 pounds before surgery. They have to bur through fat in order to get to the stomach. Once I lost 20 pounds after feeling my belly felt ready to do surgery. In general some doctors require some weight loss before doing surgery so you should be prepared for that.

I was sleeved 10th May 2012 & have been lucky enough to lose 30kg so far, I have a question for the longer term sleeves say 3 months sleeved & longer. My question is do you ever get hungry? I'm hungry all of the time infact I've felt hunger since day 1 of the procedure. The upside though is I still get full really easily, the other upside is that my weight loss has now slowed down to about a 1kg loss a fortnight. I only needed to lose 40kg preop so I figure being 10kg out with a very steady loss is a good thing. I now eat whatever I want just small amounts and I've also been on the grog a few times. Life's awesome!!

hello! I found these books to be very helpful! weight Loss Surgery Cookbook for Dummies Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery The Sleeved Life By, Pennie Nicola Successful Weight Loss with the Gastric Sleeve I hope they help!

Lipedema, also called lipoedema is a disproportionate fat build up in the legs..It is not NORMAL fat and often it will not release even if you are starving. It's very possible you will never be able to lose all the weight in your legs. (I'm in the same boat) I started out with a 25.5" calf when I was 360... at 254 my calf is 22.5 not really much of a difference given more than a hundred pound weight loss but I'm hopeful that after I've lost all the excess everywhere else my body will release at least SOME of my calf fat! There is a doctor in Germany who is having good results with liposuction of the lower legs though and he specializes in lipedema patients.. so I guess there is hope for us yet! BTW don't confuse lipoedema with LYMPHedema.. lymphedema is swelling from Fluid.. lipedema is abnormal FAT.

I've always had thick lower legs. Those of you that have had this problem too, did you notice a significant change in your legs after your weight loss? I'm sure hoping I lose proportionately!

For those of you following my posts, you know that after I got the surgery and lost some weight I moved into an RV and have been living a life of richness and wonder that would not have been possible that my former weight. You might also know, that from the beginning I was very stand off fish about treating my surgical procedure like a diet I would be on for the rest of my life, because diets have never helped me to lose weight and keep it off. My policy right after surgery was that I only weighed in at my surgeons office. This was my policy because I knew that if I kept the scale in my home I would drive myself crazy and it would be a torturous experience. I saw my surgeon for six months after my weight loss surgery. Then I moved into my RV and drove away. As most of you probably know, scales need to be pretty much kept in one place and need to be on an absolutely level surface to be accurate. This is not feasible in the RV, and so I do not own a scale. If I am someplace where there's a scale available I will usually hop on, so once every couple of months or so I check my weight. I am over a year out of surgery, down 130 pounds, and my weight loss has slowed even though my physical activity has risen. This is not a problem for me. I am now at a weight I can live with and it's fine with me if it takes a little longer to get all the way to goal. Yesterday, I walked 6 miles, some of which I did at the mall. I walked into a store, and discovered that I was down to a size 16, and I thought I was in 18/20. This was a delightful non-scale victory. I found some clothes that make me look beautiful and flatter the figure that I have now. And, that was the first time I walked 6 miles in one day which was a victory by itself! I think everybody on these forums, even those of you who sometimes get mad at me for the things that I post LOL… This form has been so helpful and it has been so wonderful to have a place to come and talk about this journey with people who understand what it's like. I would love it if you would post your non-scale victories on this thread. Because this isnt about me. This is about all of us, getting healthy, finding ways to be happy, living with who and what we live with and not letting it stop us from having a good life. Not being rolled and owned by the scale or any other set of numbers. Making our humanity, our happiness, our priority. Thank you friends! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hi! I was banded on 3-25-08 and have lost 30 lbs.. I feel I should have lost more by this time, but my night time snacking is messing me up. I have vowed to myself to get serious and knock off the night eating. How are you feeling about your weight loss so far? I am not totally disappointed cuz I can't remember the last time I was able to lose 30 lbs.

Just as with all the other posters have said the first thing would be to sit and talk with your doc's. i would also add in the one prescribing those meds to make sure the balance is right - i'm not sure if you took them before being banded but weight loss will mess with the dosage required. secondly.. 2 Stone is a GREAT weight loss that's about 28lbs and the fact that you can drop that shows you can do this. thirdly - you are not alone i was banded mid sep and while i have seen weight loss - the majority from the pre op diet i am obsessed with the scale.. when it hasn't moved or infact has gone up truly messes with my day and how i feel. i have to get past the daily weighing.. and just allow my self to do so once a week.. (working on it ) any how let us know how your doing and remember all of us here on these boards are here for the same reason and are you ears for listening when you want us.

Gallbladder is located under right rib cage. I've had many weight loss surgeries unfortunately. Two lap band and the sleeve. This pain is nowhere near any incision and I know what incisional pain is like. I'm just concerned that with my up and down loss over the years that this recent loss of 36 pounds in less than a month may be the kicker.

Okay so I have been following but not posting much for a little while. I have been frustrated, feeling like I don’t have much advice to offer others because I have been searching for my own answers and very embarrassed about my weigh gain. Anyways, for those of you who don’t know me, I had my surgery March 9, 2021 at 235 (5’8”). I lost pretty steadily down to 169 but then stalled for months on end until my appetite came back and I started gaining and continue to gain. I have been struggling uphill while searching for answers ever since. The bariatric team blames my psyc meds but the prescribing dr claims they are weight neutral meds. My family dr agrees and showed me an article about the cravings they cause but he ordered thyroid and diabetes tests too which came back fine but I continue to gain so I made an appointment with an endocrine doctor thanks to a few people on here who suggested it. I finally just seen the endo doc and My cortisol was elevated on the suppression test so I just completed the two day saliva test which hopefully will bring some more answers but what they have said so far is that it’s probably sub clinical cushings which takes a while to confirm. I thought about waiting until I had more info but they said it will be another two or three weeks for these results and I may need more tests after that. I guess MY diagnosis is not really the point anyways. My point is I have recently learned of three things that could be the culprit of my weight that were never tested before surgery and I wonder why they don’t mention these tests pre surgery. I mean They are simple blood tests. I even googled to see why the cushings thing isn’t investigated since it doesn’t resolve with bariatric surgery and all I could find was one article that said it is of course suggested if you present with any of the classic symptoms but in terms of a blanket requirement for people considering bariatric surgery this person felt it unnecessary because it’s not extremely common. I guess maybe that’s the view of my doctor too but I sure wish I was presented with the option at least. I am just curious whether these are things that are tested or even brought up by other people doctors prior to surgery or what others think about whether they should be. And perhaps to give some people things they can investigate first if they are on the fence about surgery. I just feel like the surgery was never going to work for me because it seems likely that the root of my issue is still there. I am maintaining SOME of the loss but according to what I understand about what I have read so far, left untreated I will steadily continue to gain. I know this is still up in the air and not a super common thing regardless but I can’t be the only one struggling with this pre or post surgery and I hope my experience can help someone else struggle just a little less cause watching everyone around me try to be polite as I slowly put the weight back on has felt even worse than being obese was to begin with. I am trying to hang In there for answers and give myself grace but it’s hard to not feel like a failure as I continue to gain and everyone now knows I had surgery and of course I have to wonder if I blew my one shot at surgery because I am doing these tests after instead of before surgery. Regardless, if you are someone who doesn’t really make a ton of poor food choices but just eats more than “normal” because you always feel hungry, consider a cortisol test before surgery. I wish I had.

He has several reasons. He's worried about malabsorption, regain, & the cost. I've regained every time after loss & he thinks it's drastic measures for an inevitable outcome. Plus I think he's insecure & afraid I'll leave him after I lose. We've been together since we were 18, freshmen in college & I'm 40 now. He has stuck with me through so much. I'm not leaving him. I just want to be happy & healthy. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I have also made some poor choices the past couple of days. We had our holiday meal at home two days before Christmas, then another at my inlaws on Christmas Eve, then an open house on Christmas Day. I probably ate more than I needed to - definitely more than a half cup of food, but then I didn't really gorge, either. I still feel guilty, though! A turkey medallion in Cabernet reduction, about three T. mashed potatoes and another three T. dressing, then veggies, then three bites of chocolate mousse -- but in all honesty, it was still far less than I would have eaten in the past, so though I have not been brave enough to get on the scale, I'm claiming it as a victory and vowing to do better after the holiday! Something that has been helping me a lot is using my "baby spoon." I felt silly using an actual child's spoon, so I picked up several silver demitasse spoons at Bed, Bath and Beyond. They were just $2 each. I know it's silly, but it really helps me to feel less like someone who has just had weight loss surgery, and more a part of a normal family meal with somewhat "normal" eating utensils

I went to my orientation last night. I know my insurance and the group require a 10% weight loss. So I started dieting and exercising to lose the weight. Of the 32 pounds I lost 9 so far. The problem is, they said the 10% weight loss is based on your first appointment and not what I weighed when I saw my primary. Has anyone else been told not to do weight loss until your first appointment? They are booking out 3 weeks and I they require hat you think through the week end and wait till Monday to make the initial appointment

Aubrie: My doctor recommended that I have FF yogurt, or a piece of fruit, or something like that at about 4 o'clock because I told him I was so hungry by the time I got home I'd eat the butt off a dog. He said that it's not good to wait too many hours between eating. Try having a healthy snack and it should help you stay on plan. Congratulations on your loss and exercise habits. Sue

Went to doc today. Havne't been in in two months. I felt like I needed a fill. I can eat tons of food at dinner. BUT I had lost 14 pounds in two months. We talked at great length about everything and he finally decided no fill. He thinks I've been very successful with that much of a loss, and didn't want to make me to tight. I'm really happpy that he's pleased with me, but major bummed at the same time. It was SO HARD to lose those 14 pounds. I fought hunger after working out every week. He said he was tickled pink about my muscle tone and said to keep working out. I do water aerobics. Three different kinds. My blood pressure was 114/ 72. That is FANTASTIC for me. I may get completely off my meds yet. So I have a lot to be thankful for but I'm SO DISAPPOINTED that I didnt get a fill. Should I be happy or bummed?

Congratulations on your weight loss! Sounds like you are doing everything you need to do. Keep up the good work!!!

Hey weight loss buddies! I wondered if anyone has found themselves in a similar situation as myself. I meet the requirements for bcbs to cover my surgery. My bmi is 36.7 and I have sleep apnea with cpap machine. I am currently on month 2 of my 6 month supervised diet, but I calculated if I lose more than 6 lbs over the course of the 6 months, I will no longer be at the required 35 bmi. But also, insurance wants to see I can follow a plan and lise some weight beforehand. I feel like this is a real catch 22. Any thoughts? Sent from my SM-J700T using the BariatricPal App