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These dates may be off by a day or so.... My info was submitted to the insurance around May 4th (BlueCross/BlueShield of Western NY). On May 13th, I was called by Dr. Arreola's office with the approval and had my surgery scheduled for June 2nd. I had my pre-op appointment May 18th. I was surprised how fast my insurance company approved me, and how soon they were able to schedule the surgery. Hope this gives you a rough idea!

I hope all goes well with your insurance. I'm on the same boat. Waiting on Cigna to approve its only been 11 days so I know I should be more patient. I hope you get approval really fast . Waiting is the hard part.

So tired. Five days in and I have to admit I'm getting bored. Everything is just dandy as far as healing process goes. I took the dressings off of my incisions yesterday and they hardly tickle, to be honest I forget they're there. My stomach still feels a little inflated but it's not uncomfortable. I can drink (water, coffee, hot chocolate/cacao) and eat, (soup, yoghurt, purée, very smooth porridge) freely. That said I don't really want to. My appetite is minimal, which I'm relaxed about, and the only tastes (rather than foods) I do crave are savoury. Unsurprisingly I would be willing to sell my soul for a slice of hot buttered toast. I don't feel any great sensation of restriction in my stomach, my surgeon called to check-in yesterday and he tells me that's fine - it will come later with more solid food. That said I probably had too much soup too fast earlier and very quickly found myself belching. A couple of minutes later I'm fine. The thing I'm noticing most is pure and simple fatigue. Yesterday it was that aching twitchy tiredness then I had my first proper night's sleep. Today I still feel a bit limp and tired but it's qualitatively different, sleepiness rather than muscle ache.

Try a tea. I went through the same problem and my nutritionist suggested a tea "Smooth Move' It works really good and fast. You can get it at GNC or some WalMarts carry it too.

Good evening everyone, I was sleeved on 2/5 and so far I've lost 33 lbs (yay) but for the pasts 2 weeks I've been eating fast food but in very small increments (a quarter to half at most) and then my body rejects it and I throw up but I'm finding it hard to get back on the wagon. I walk for a hour a day and my calorie intake is never more than 700 and the calories I burn from my walks are 400 and seeing a low intake is how I rationalize eating unhealthy foods and snacks....anyone else had/having this issue?

I've never blogged before but I feel the need for support and accountability of the members here. I've been banded since 10-7-09. I just went in Thurs for my 4th fill and just now am beginning to 'get it' I've been frustrated with not losing as fast as I expected....15 lbs so far.. all post band. When I went in for my first fill 6wks post op she put in 1cc and I swear I couldn't pass a sip of water. just gurgle gurgle so she let out .5cc and has been going slow since just .5 per visit. So now I'm at 5.4 in a 10cc band and this is all coming together now. Oh Yeah !! after 4-5 bites I'm done and fine with it. Love this feeling. Still dealing with head hunger and just the 'need' to eat. It truly is an addiction. My doc gave me a script for Welbutrin and it has really helped. Just a little bit of help to feel calm and not crave food. I used this when I did the phentermine thing a couple of years ago. I lost 60 lbs. but you know the routine...gained back all but 5 before my first lap band consultation. Anyway that's a bit about me. I feel excited that finally I understand 'restriction' and can see that this thing works.. I know there will be ups and downs (literally) but I have a good feeling about this. I have some questions about getting enough food. My gosh it seems like semi-starvation. I guess that's ok huh?

I've never blogged before but I feel the need for support and accountability of the members here. I've been banded since 10-7-09. I just went in Thurs for my 4th fill and just now am beginning to 'get it' I've been frustrated with not losing as fast as I expected....15 lbs so far.. all post band. When I went in for my first fill 6wks post op she put in 1cc and I swear I couldn't pass a sip of water. just gurgle gurgle so she let out .5cc and has been going slow since just .5 per visit. So now I'm at 5.4 in a 10cc band and this is all coming together now. Oh Yeah !! after 4-5 bites I'm done and fine with it. Love this feeling. Still dealing with head hunger and just the 'need' to eat. It truly is an addiction. My doc gave me a script for Welbutrin and it has really helped. Just a little bit of help to feel calm and not crave food. I used this when I did the phentermine thing a couple of years ago. I lost 60 lbs. but you know the routine...gained back all but 5 before my first lap band consultation. Anyway that's a bit about me. I feel excited that finally I understand 'restriction' and can see that this thing works.. I know there will be ups and downs (literally) but I have a good feeling about this. I have some questions about getting enough food. My gosh it seems like semi-starvation. I guess that's ok huh?

ive lost 125 pounds since sugury june 5th and am more depressed then ive ever been i really need a friend that understands me... but am happy in so many ways i mean to go from 465 too 340 so fast feels awesome only 80 more to go

How did you lose so much so fast? That is astounding! Any tips for someone at the beginning of this (I'm 7 weeks post surgery?)

kwigillingok OMG!!! I've been hearing these weird noises!!! Was that you?? WooHoo!! you survived WLS gallbladder and all!!!! glad your not in too much pain it is a bummer when your lips are soooooo dry chap stick helped me - but not the same good for you walking around, and around i think i "might" have seen you - but you were going too fast try and rest "before they wake you up" good luck speedy recovery kathy

Sleeved Election Day, Have lost 80 lbs since August. I fit into a Size 20 down from a 28....I am back on my Rollarblades! I am thrilled beyond belief! Its all happening so fast! Just thought I would share this wonderful news! Kim

Thanks for the encouragement! A friend of mine pointed out that it could pe post-op swelling or even my body slamming on the breaks, because of the fasting calories after eating so many calories before? Once again though, thanks!

Aww, so sorry about your wait! It is totally frustrating when you feel like you have everything lined up and are soooo ready just to have wait or worse- get denied. I first applied back in 2008, I called my carrier and asked all the right questions about BMI, proof of failed diets and whether co-morbidities had to be present. The rep I talked to for the insurance carrier told me (incorrectly) that the benefit was available at 100% with no requirements. I went to a sleep doc, did a psych eval, was poked and prodded, tested and re-tested and assured I was a perfect candidate. When we submitted to the insurance carrier they promptly denied it, I tried to appeal but was denied again. The next time was 09 and I went tthrough the same process, this time I was denied and found out the reason was I didn't have 5 consecutive years of documented weights and BMI from my PCP- literally the only requirement! Well what fat girl goes to the doctor every year to be weighed??? In 2011 I had all the documentation needed so I waited until the 2012 plan year started to apply and put enough into my flex spending account to pay the deductible and co-insurance. I had my "first" doctors appointment in February again and the paperwork was sent to my insurance carrier with the explanation that it would take 4 weeks to 3 months to get a response and then I would have to schedule all of my other doctors appointments and then try to get a date for surgery. Well 4 years of waiting was enough for me, I explained the situation to the office staff at the surgeons office who were unsympathetic and negative about whether I could speed the procees up but I didn't let that deter me! I called my carrier at the one week mark and was able to get the claim escalated for review and was told I would get an answer within 5 business days- great! but not good enough! I was anxious after doing years of research, trying WW 2 more times, buying tons of slimfast, atkins and off-brand diet bars and drinks. I wasn't losing weight but gaining it with every year that passed. I called back after 2 days and spoke to the supervisor of the person doing the escalated review and they gave me a verbal authorization for surgery! I called and spoke to the office staff who actually put me on the schedule without the paper confirmation- from first doc appointment to approval it was 2 weeks, a week later were my final appointments and I started the Protein diet, 9 days later I had surgery- start to finish 1 month, or 4 years, depends on how you look at it! I have UHC which many people told me was an easy carrier to get approved through, not my initial experiences. I think the only reason it moved fast for me the last time was because I told literally everyone my sob story of trying for 4 years to get it approved and they begrudgingly listened and actually were able to do something about it. I hope things work out for you and you get an answer quickly, but hey, if they don't call you, you keep calling until you talk to that one person who listens!

At pretty much exactly 4 months my weight loss suddenly stopped to. After a one month stall I dropped 10 lbs pretty fast.

renebean i'm not a real new newbie but i read your post just to see what advice you had for newbies and i'm so glad i did. i was banded 7/06 and have been very slow with my wieght loss but i haven't really been dieting i eat what i want just much less, but i did not do this to be on a strict diet! now after my 3rd fill i'm almost at the right restriction and i have begun to lose weight at a slightly faster rate i go next monday for another fill and i'm hoping that this one will be the "sweet spot" one!!! i have lost clothes sizes more than weight i started at a 24 and can now wear a 20 comfortbly and people are begining to say something about my loss now i'm down 20lbs and need to loss 50-60 more i guess the exercise (walking 2-3 miles 3x a week) is making up the difference between strict dieting and losing. sorry to ramble on but i read lots of post abour fast and big losses but few post that i could relate to.

I use to have so a low tolerance for pain. I now think of it as a mind over matter thing. This was my 5th operation. I have had 3 c secs and my gallbladder removed. So far the band is similar but because I am ann old pro I can handle it better. The hardest part is nusring my baby. If I nurse him laying on my right side it is ok. However, lying on my left side puts pressure on my port. If I nurse him on my lap its not so bad either because I put a pillow there. I mean it's manageble...but what to do the boy has to eat. The first night home I slep in my bed with him. Last night we slept on the floor of the play room because I was afraid he would wake up and fall out of the bed because I couldnt move fast enough to get him. Actually I nursed him on the floor then I slept in the recliner. My dh asked me this morning, "when can we do it?". I said do what trying to play dumb cuz I truely thought it was insensitive and how could he be thinking about something like that while i'm in pain. I handle my pain well but maybe I should be more dramatic around him.

Today was my first day! I walked 2 miles. I was shocked how fast I walked it. When I looked at my steps I was like holy cow. Tomorrow I will tackle some of the machines. Tuesday and Thursday’s I have decided will be my walking days.

I had alot of shoulder pain also. Are you sure it is time for you to be on your mushie stage. I was on clear liquids a week, then full liquids a week and then the third week I could slowly introduce mushies. I also got pain when I drank too fast because it trapped addl air which was painful to burp. One thing I do know if you move through your stages too fast it will hurt you in the long run so take slow.... Each day will get better.

I am 2 years post op. I've lost 100 lbs but recently(during the holidays) gained back 10 lbs. I am very afraid of gaining back the weight. I'm not really feeling the band and can eat almost anything. Once in awhile, if I eat bread too fast, I get that "full" feeling but that's it. After 2 years, is it possible that I need another fill? Does your stomach change over time so that you need the band adjusted again?

Hey April 25th!!! coming up so fast!!

I can see both points of view here. Firstly, I thought ick, why? Because I agree with Jodie, that's not what the band is for. But then, if you're that tight (which is really too tight) and you'd rather do Medifast for a period of a few weeks and lose a bit and loosen up, rather than have an unfill, why on earth not? Why muck around with your band filling and unfilling. At least you will have some reasonable nourishment and a bit of fast weight loss. Believe me, I've thought of going REALLY tight and doing this just to get that last 10lb off but I suspect that when I finished, unfilled and began to eat again, I'd regain EVEN with a band. Because the trouble with Medifast and Optifast is that it's not healthy weight loss. Those super low carb diets cause a LOT of Water weight loss as your body depletes itself of glycogen and you DO lose muscle as well on them. When you eat again and rehydrate you're quite likely to see rebound weight gain on the scale. Its arguable that you'd lose just as much fat by doing a more moderate diet of solid food, but avoiding the huge water loss factor. Heck, this is even why people fail to lose in the first few weeks after surgery - they come off this diet. The fact that they're on a liquid post op diet is enough to prevent great regain, but for many people they think why arent I losing? Reason being, you've already depleted your body entirely by the pre op diet and once you start putting carbs back in - as you do with the varied liquids you can have post op, bang, weight loss stops or goes in the opposite direction. Fat loss is probably continuing but the fake readings the scale was giving you are evening out. And I think this ooh good I'm tight I'll starve myself and loose tons of weight attitude is best left in our old pre band lives. This is a lifestyle, for keeps now. But really, nothing is going to hurt you for a short period of time. And Im not bashing because I can understand exactly why you would think of it. I did to, what I've just said is more the reasons why I talked myself out of it, not that I dont think you should do it.

Hi I'm 16 and I had my sleeve August 30th few days ago. Woke up from surgery in a lot of pain but I'm surprised how fast I am healing. this is the beginning of my new journey.

I have a Short fuse too. I take out my aggression in the gym. Plus you have to remember that the surgery is just a tool. When I accepted that it was not a magic bullet my attitude changed. Mind over matter. I have others eating fried junk, sweets, fast food in front of me and it doesn't bother me one bit because I now look at those poor food choices as the poison that got me fat in the first place. Plus I never threw out my old clothes. I kept saying to myself I'm going to fit back in those pimp daddy jeans and shirts again one day. It's a huge motivator when your leaner and healthier. I'm down almost 50lbs in less than 6 weeks. No food craving is equal to feeling this good. Good luck and stay focused! ; )

that's it just WEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Monday's coming so FAST