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I'm almost eleven months out. I had my RNY on 12/10/13. I've lost 93 pounds so far. My weight loss has really slowed down. But that's okay since I've lost all I planned to, and more, as my ticker below shows. I'm still eating like I'm supposed to. I'm still exercising too. I don't have much flab. But I DO have more wrinkles. LOTS MORE. I think this is okay though since I'm in my late 50's. The MOST important thing to me is that SEVEN of the EIGHT co-morbidities I had are GONE! Prior osteo-arthritis damage hasn't repaired itself. But the arthritis pain is almost all gone too. I hope that helps someone who reads this.

You know....healthcare staff really p*ss me off. Its like they dont realize that they are providing a service, and you are a PAYING CUSTOMER (without you they wouldnt be getting paid by the ins. company!). I am glad that you made the reference to the waitress, because really, its not all that different. They think that they can talk down to people, demean them, be rude, and we will just keep coming back and giving them our money. I actually left a doctor because his office staff was so rude to me, so I decided to take my "business" elsewhere. Another time, I had to get off work early to drive to see a doctor that was an hour away from my home. When I got out of work, my car had a dead battery. So I had to hurry up and find someone to help me jump my car. I got a late start, so in an attempt to be courteous I called them and let them know that I might be 15 minutes late. (Mind you I have been seeing this doctor for 7 years, and my mom has been going there for 20 years and neither of us had EVER been late to an appointment before). They said that if I was 10 minutes late, then I would have to reschedule my appointment! I said "If I have to reschedule my appointment, it will be with a different doctor." So I rushed to get in on time, and I made it approximately 8 minutes late. I was standing at the check-in counter and I heard a woman in the back saying "Abby called and said that she was going to be late, and when I told her if she was 10 minutes late then she would have to reschedule, she said then it would be with a different doctor." And another lady said "oh my god, what a bitch." They didnt know that I was standing there. I said "Don't worry, I made it here just in time!" and gave her a little smile. They were both shocked that I heard them. If I didnt love my doctor then I would definitely have changed doctors right then and there.

Never got there. . . hit my doctors goal of 212 lbs and than about 10 more lbs but that is it. . . now i yo-yo between 210 - 215 lbs. . . I started off at 350 lbs and am out 18 months

best wishes to you. we will have a sleeveaversary mine is also tomorrow at 10 a.m.

I'm 22 and my surgery is thursday!!! i'm really excited. Ive told all my close friends except the boy i like because i think he would be worried about me so i'm not. None of my sorority sisters know. Not even my big. I'm really excited that I would potentially be a sized 8/10 for my senior formal next fall wish me luck girls!!!

Got the call from the hospital this afternoon for my arrival time of 0745 tomorrow 8/19 for my sleeve, was so excited and nervous at the same time that I literally burst into tears after hanging up the phone!!! One step closer to a healthier life for my family and myself!!!!

Hey j rabbit how are u getting on. I been sleeved from Mr De beaux on Thursday 19/9

Dani, I hope your new doctor finds something he can fix. I'm glad you went for the second opinion and feel comfortable with this doc. I can't believe you're having surgery so soon! Speaking of hiatal hernias, my doctor informed me today that I have a small one. I didn't think to ask what test it showed up on. He also informed me that I have gallstones so my gallbladder will have to come out. He's going to fix my hernia at the same time. I was surprised and kind of relieved. I was beginning to wonder if all this pain was in my head. I have training I have to go to for work so my surgery won't be until 10/23. I will keep you in my thoughts. Make sure to come let us know how you're doing as soon as you feel up to it.

I will be thinking of you on Monday. I have my doctor's appointment on July 19. By then, I will have everything taken care of. I will probably have my surgery in August. My sister and I are doing this together. We are very close so we will be a support group of two. I am very nervous about the surgery, the fills, and everything in general. Please let me know how your surgery goes. Good luck!

I think it's common to have a big loss in the first week or wo since you are on liquids. I lost 16 in the first week. Once you move to solids it slows way down. Sorry.., but don't get too excited about the thought of lossing 10 pounds a week. LOL

Hi Monica: I was nervous about having another surgery. I have had 11 or 12. surgeries..so many that I have lost count. We joke in my family that I should get the next one free. :-) Anyway, this was a last resort. When I was younger...as a child, teenager, and twenty-something adult, I never had a weight problem. I jogged, lifted weights, and had a very active life. (I am 5'6" and started at 251) But something happened after the birth of my second child (26 yr). I could not lose the weight and I did not have time to jog or lift weights. My family life trumped my health. For the last 19 years I have struggled with weight gain and loss. I have been on diet after diet. So when I heard about gastric procedures I began to do the research. I still wonder what if this one fails too. But I have the support and the tools to make this work. I do not regret my decision. And I have no doubt you will not regret having the procedure. Good luck!

I got my band February 11, 2010... I did pretty good my first year lost 60 lbs, then I got complacent and stopped trying... a year ago we moved to Washington and that's when I really stopped exercising.. rain was my excuse.. I gained back 10 lbs... In July I had emergency back surgery, and they unfilled my band completly .. I got a fill afterwards but swelled shut and got some taken out the next day... Finally, this month I got refilled under fleuro and am so tight again... the problem is, I'm so tight I'm unable to eat anything most days. coffee is difficult to get down I think because I put creamer in it (sugar free) Water goes down ok, but very slow. I know I'm tight but there is no common ground with these drs. At both my appointments they draw out all the Fluid, measure it, then add to it. If I get some fluid out I'll be too loose like last time. And then it's another $375 for another fill. They don't do it by cc's, they do it by xray... I just don't know what to do -Sara B. Banded 02/11/10

Hello everyone, first post here. I am scheduled to have surgery on Sept. 10, 2008. I am a little nervous but am very excited about starting a new life. A life that will allow me to be a healthier, happier person.:party:

@@kerryberry16 Hi there! I just want to say that it is perfectly normal to have these doubts once you are set to have surgery. After all, it is a big one that will require a lot from you. I am 53, I was 310lbs at 5'10" when I had RNY. I had type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, severe gerd, sleep apnea, anemia, stage 3 kidney disease. It was the kidney disease that came from years of obesity that was the straw for me. A lot of these illnesses came on fast and when one came the other was right around the corner. My nephrologist (kidney specialist) is the one who suggested I consider WLS. He made sure that i understood that window was very small given my declining kidney function. If I got to a point where I was too sick, they would not operate. It took 9 months to get through the 6 month process from start to finish and by the time I got there I was so ready to have this done that if anything delayed it I became emotional. I just knew that having bypass was going to help me get control of my weight which in turn would Help me become healthier. That was what it was all about for me. Well I had my surgery nearly 2 years ago. Within 3 months ALL of my comorbitities were in remission including my kidney function. I was able to stop taking 8 prescriptions for things I simply did not suffer from. This surgery literally gave me back my life. That being said, it is NOT easy in any way, shape or form. Most bypass patients DO NOT get dumping syndrome. I believe the number is only about 30% and it usually stops after the first year or so. Some suffer with it longer. I tell you this mostly so that you know, you will likely not have it. Those that do get it really wish they didn't. The surgery really helps you control quantity of food at any one given time. You have to make the changes to your diet to put the right things in there the right amount of times per day. Now is the time to begin to make lots of changes. Many of us had food funerals, it is only natural to want to try the things that you think you will never have again. The reality is, you will be able to enjoy most foods just in smaller quantities. Don't let that fear change where you are headed. I am one of those people that waited way too long to have this surgery and nearly killed myself in the process. It caused me to develop severe osteoarthritis of the spine, shoulders and knees. Over the last 14 years I have had 6 back surgeries with 2 of them being after bypass. I also had to have my left shoulder rebuilt because of bone on bone arthritis. I am literally disabled because I allowed myself to continue down a deadly path with obesity. RNY is the best thing that ever happened to me and if I had to do it over again, I would do it 10 to 15 years sooner before all the damage to my body. Even with such severe osteoarthritis, I feel fantastic!!! Every single day is like a new birthday for me because I am not sick. I LOVE food. Its just a different food that I now crave. I was a sugarholic! After RNY your tastes really do change and you learn to love good quality Protein, good carbs like fruits and veggies. Yes, I do eat sweets now and then but I have learned to control myself. My nut taught me to believe everything in moderation and to eat a balance meal. After losing the first 50lbs, my activity level increased. My feet no longer hurt, my ankles and knees both improved dramatically. I was able to get up and down stairs without keeling over from lack of oxygen. LOL. Don't let your fears stop you from doing what you need to do to get healthy. You started this process for a reason, stay focused on that reason. Less than 5% of people are successful losing this kind of weight on their own and keeping it off long term. That is the key, keeping it off. Maintenance is hard work and you always worry about regain. The good news is, once you have RNY the tool is always there for you. You just need to build good eating habits. 90% of your weight loss will come from diet. I wish you the best of luck with this and I hope that you are able to get to a place where you are content with your decision.

Same here!! And my doc went from $50 for a fill to over $300 now--so much for Obamacare making things more affordable!! My husband and I both have had bands for nearly 10 years and only go get a fill once every other year it seems, so we are out of the loop on how to get fills done if it's not at our doc!

as long as you're eating the right things and keeping a journal of how much you're eating, then it's the right thing because you're constantly fueling your metabolism. My nutritionist said that's my problem, is that i was only eating once or twice a day with 10 hours or so between meals. She said when you eat like i do (or did - i'm trying), your body goes into starvation mode. she said naturally thin and sucess stories on the band are people who eat 5 or 6 times a day -- eating the right, healthy things. just be sure to make good choices with your Snacks. My only concern is, if you're grazing, when are you getting your liquids in, since we're not supposed to drink for an hour or more after we eat....

:peep:I'm scared. I'm not sure if I'll be able to do this for 10 days. It was easy before when there was no kids but now that there are 4 of them in the house I hope I can do it. I'm finding that I'm staying up longer each night. Getting up around 9 or 10 in the morning. Thank goodness it's summer break now. I still have a sore throat and I don't know what I'm going to do w/the pain. Can't take anything after Sunday. I'm looking into homeopathic though. I still have my kit. The other thing I've done is quite smoking again. I started 6 months ago. Why--I don't know. Did it later to calm my nerves and to calm me when I was upset w/Bruce. I quite 3 days ago and so far don't want another one.:clap2:

Well, here I am. Back from the hospital after a 2 night stay, with 85% of my stomach missing. I'll try and describe what it was like day by day... Day 1 (Surgery Day): Let me preface this by saying that I did not sleep a wink the night before surgery. Not. A. Wink. So, upon arriving to the hospital for my 7am appointment, I had already been awake for 24+ hours. So that probably added to the dream-like quality that everything had to it that day. But still, that's the only way I could possibly describe everything that happened that day. It was surreal. Since I couldn't sleep, I decided that my husband shouldn't either, so I got him up at 4:30, and we set out from our hotel for the hospital at 5:30, even though it was only a 30 minute drive, and we didn't have to be there until 7am. At this point, I was convinced that I was probably going to die on the operating table, so I was giving my husband instructions, such as "My wedding ring is in the change pocket of my purse. I'll want to be buried with it on." Stuff like that. I'm sure he was amused by it all, but looking back, I can't believe I did that to my husband! (who already has some anxiety issues BTW) So we arrived at the hospital super-early, and I tried, yet again to catch a 15 minute nap in the car. When it became apparent that even that wasn't going to happen, we went into the hospital to register at 6:30. They brought me back pretty quickly, but left my hubby in the waiting room. They weighed me (219.4) and brought me into a room with a stretcher in it, and told me to change into the gown and socks that were on the stretcher. Now, I don't know if they just see that someone is having bariatric surgery, and automatically put the XXL gown on the stretcher, or what, but that gown was huge. You could have put three of me in it. The socks were also ridiculous, they could have fit on my feet over a pair of winter boots! But I did as I was told, and proceeded to spend the next hour and a half trying not to flash everyone in the pre-op area... Then a nurse came in, took my vital signs, and did an admission questionnaire and had me sign paperwork. Then three separate anesthesiologists came in and talked to me, looked in my mouth, and asked me several of the same questions the nurse had just asked. Then another nurse put an IV in my left hand. Then, finally they allowed my husband to come back in. We sat there and talked for awhile, and then my surgeon came in... now I know many of us bariatric surgery patients have had multiple appointments with their surgeon prior to the actual surgery day, but for me that was not the case. I'd only met Dr. Shillingford once for about 5 minutes, in January. But meeting him for the second time on surgery day, I was again reassured by his confident demeanor, and his relaxed bedside manner. Plus it helped that every other medical staff person I'd met so far that day had referred to him as an excellent surgeon. Once he arrived, that really seemed to get the ball rolling. Just about 10 minutes later, they were giving my pre-op "cocktail" (I asked, it was Versed). Then we rolled into the OR. I remember them asking me to scootch from the stretcher I was on, to the operating table, which I was able to do, and then....nothing. Next thing I knew, I was lying on a different stretcher, in a different room, with a different gown on and someone was taking an oxygen mask off of me, and putting me on a nasal cannula (the little prong things that go in your nose). I was in a lot of pain, which I guess they anticipated, because someone handed me a little button, and said I could push it as much as I wanted for pain medication. Now, being a nurse, I know there is a lockout period, so you can't overdose yourself, so I must have asked that. They said it was set to dispense medication every 8 minutes. There was a blood pressure cuff on my right arm that kept squeezing every few minutes, so I decided to push the button every-other time the BP cuff went off. After three or four pushes, the pain had faded into the background, but by then I was becoming nauseated. Like clockwork, they asked me if I wanted medication for nausea. Yes, please! Once I had those nausea medications in, I was feeling pretty good. Good enough in fact, that when they got me up to my room, I was able to stand up and waddle over to my new bed almost all by myself... At this point, I was hooked up to two IV's, I had a foley catheter in, and I didn't know it yet, but there was a drain hanging off of the right side of my abdomen. But the only thing that was sore (and still is) was the incision on the left side of my abdomen. I later found out that's where my stomach was taken out. The rest of that day went by in a little bit of a blur. I wasn't allowed any water, or anything else by mouth, but they did give me some swabs, and some ice chips, which were a godsend. I remember going for a walk, up and down the hallway with my hubby later in the evening, but other than that, I pretty much slept in between being asked, like 10 times, by 10 different people if I was diabetic, and/or did I need to have a CPAP machine (no, and no). And that was pretty much Day 1. And since I'm pretty wiped out, I think I'll save Days 2 and 3 for another post...

I'm a 22 year old female and I've been considering WLS for about 8 months. I went through a lot of the initial consultations and then I decided to "give it another shot on my own" - I think mainly I was scared. My mum has had a Lapband for approximately the last 10 years so I can ask her a lot of my questions however I'm hoping everyone on here could tell me a bit more - the things they don't tell you, will it effect my general life in any way you can think of that you wish you had been told ? Can you no longer lie down after eating? I don't know I can't think of any examples, but please share anything that you think might be of interest! I'm trying to prepare myself for everything so when I go back I can commit Thank you!

Hi! My husband is in the Air Force and we are stationed at Lackland AFB, TX. I was seriously considering the RNY surgery, but was too scared of the possible complications and side effects. Just this past week I found out that Tricare is now covering the lap band surgery. I had said before that if they ever did I would do it in a heartbeat. However, we will be moving this summer (more than likely) and I don't want to start the process of getting approved and then have to start it over when we move. I just hope where ever we move I will be able to find a good surgeon. Does anyone know how to look for a great surgeon in the bariatric field? Or have any tips of what to look for? Also, my BMI is only 34 right now however I am borderline diabetic, I have PCOS, hypertension, high cholesterol, and had my gall bladder removed 10/07. I could still lose 100lbs and be in my normal wt. range though. Also, I'm looking for people's experiences with getting the lap band. What I can look forward to, or not? I'm very excited for this journey! I know that with the lap band I'm not going to drop 60lbs in a month or anything and this is particularly why I chose the lap band. I really wanted something that will help me keep off the wt. more effectively than just diet and exercising. I really see this as a tool to lose wt. more than just a miracle wt. loss procedure. Thanks in advance for all your advice!:wink2:

I went from 262 to about 175 in less than 1 year, gained 10 back and stayed planted there for years. Now I barely diet (and my band is quite loose) and maintain. I would love to get from where I am now (185) to 162. I probably look best at 150/155 but I am 44 so a little weight looks better now AND I just like the fact I would be 100 pounds less. Such a beautiful, round number! Should I get the band tightened again? I am so hesitant as I feel like I went through that already and my surgery was years ago. Has anyone done this years after the surgery?

My follow up was today. Since April 24 I have lost another 10 pounds!!!!! I feel like the weight is sliding off now. At first when I looked in the mirror I felt like it was working. Ive learned that it takes time and patience. It doesnt happen overnight. I thank all the people to gave me advice on this forum. Lol like im accepting an award. Anyone else gaining more confidence??

I'm definitely feeling amazing. Shopping for clothes is entirely too much fun. I haven't worn a dress in 10 years and now everyday.